Key Points from "Exposé"

I know the audience hates Nikki and Paulo, but I had no idea the writers hate them, too.

"Lost's" most reviled characters have been -- up until this episode -- an exercise in uselessness. Now, I'm not saying "Exposé" wipes the slate clean of past Paulikki indiscretions, but when you die that way, I think you earn a little slack.

And yes, Nikki and Paulo die ... in one of the most nightmarish "Twilight Zone" ends you could imagine.

So let's get to it.

The off-island backstory of Nikki and Paulo isn't all that interesting save for their involvement in the murder of an affluent Aaron-Spelling-esque television producer. Nikki gains access to the producer -- a guy named Howie -- because she's one of those semi-anonymous hot actresses who pop up in syndicated fluff like "Baywatch" or "VIP" or, in this case, the fictional stripper-mystery "Exposé" (yes, it''s a "fictional stripper mystery" -- why didn't I think of that?). The show is filmed in Sydney, which explains Nikki's eventual presence on Oceanic 815 and also gives the "Lost" crew another opportunity to whip out the Sydney Opera House backdrop.

Nikki develops a creepy May-December (late December) romance with Howie. Her partner in crime, Paulo, secures a job as Howie's new chef. One day, over breakfast, Howie takes a bite of Paulo's exquisite frittata and promptly dies of heart failure (damn you, Egg Beaters!). Nikki and Paulo -- who have clearly been planning Howie's demise for some time -- quickly access Howie's safe and steal a Matryoshka doll filled with $8 million in diamonds.

The diabolical duo get away with their chicanery because Howie was super old and his "heart failure" doesn't raise the suspicions of the police or the press or the heartbroken "Exposé" fan base. Paulikki scamper off to the Sydney airport and, while waiting for Oceanic 815 to board, we learn that Paulo has traded cigarettes for nicotine gum. It's an off-hand detail that doesn't seem relevant, but in true "Murder She Wrote" fashion it pops up in the climactic third act.

This airport scene also shows Boone and Shannon arguing. The reintroduction of departed characters is initially interesting, but the technique grows a little weary as the episode rolls on. If you'll indulge me a sidenote ...

From a technical perspective, "Exposé" has some lovely acting and production and editing, but from a storytelling standpoint I couldn't shake the sense I was watching one of those Very Special episodes where dead characters miraculously reappear for one last hurrah (the "X-Files" finale pulled this same maneuver when Krycek reappeared as a ghost -- wha?). In this episode's backstory we see Boone, Shannon, Arzt and Ethan all milling around (apparently, Michelle Rodriguez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Cynthia Watros were unavailable). The editors did a bang-up job working new footage of these returning characters into original footage from the series, but -- beyond Arzt, who we'll get to in a moment -- there wasn't much point for these characters to reappear. It's George Lucas syndrome: Just because you can superimpose wamprats and banthas and Boba Fett over original footage doesn't mean you should.

Moving on ...

So, Nikki and Paulo survive the plane crash, but Nikki's revelry is short lived because the bag containing the $8 million Matryoshka doll has disappeared.

The majority of Paulikki's remaining backstory involves them searching the island for their Matryoshka McGuffin. To the writers' credit, they use this "journey" storytelling device to put a new spin on old locales. Over the course of the episode, Paulikki visit:

The Beechcraft site: The pair arrives at this site after Nikki puts on her hottest bikini top and flirts with Arzt. In exchange, Arzt shows off his bug collection (he's cataloguing the insect population so he can finally get promoted to chair of his middle school's science department). Nikki isn't interested in the exoskeletons of tropical beetles, but she is super intrigued by the trajectories of earthbound luggage. So Arzt uses his mad science skillz to draw Nikki a map of where luggage may have landed and Paulikki treks into the jungle to search for their wayward Matryoshka doll.

And it's during this trek that the duo finds the Beechcraft airplane. But here's the thing: when Paulikki discovers the plane, it's still perched high in the trees, which means they found the plane beforeLocke and Boone. Nikki asks Paulo to climb up to the Beechcraft, but Paulo, flashing a rare moment of intelligence, wisely refuses because he can see the plane is precariously perched in the branches. So the two trudge on, and that's when they find ...

The Pearl station! Paulikki discovers the Pearl WEEKS before Locke and Eko uncover it in "?". They open the station's metal door (it must have been lighter back then because Nikki pops it right open), but Nikki overrides Paulo's exploration plans because she knows there's no way their Matryoshka fell into the Pearl's deep dark Dharma pit.

And so Paulikki move on without informing any of their fellow castaways that an airplane is perched in a tree and another hatch is ready to be explored. Like everyone else on this show, communication isn't their forte.

Sometime later, Nikki finds out that Kate recently recovered a metal gun case from the bottom of a nearby lagoon, so Nikki rounds up Paulo and drags him inland. They reach the lagoon/waterfall (it's the same spot where Kate and Sawyer stripped to their underwear in "Whatever the Case May Be") and Paulo dives in and sifts through plankton and decomposing Oceanic castaways. He spots a bag and works to free it, but when he returns to the surface he tells Nikki there's nothing down there except coach passengers and tadpoles. Disappointed, Nikki walks back toward the beach camp, which gives Paulo all the time he needs to dive back down and grab that bag -- and it's not just "a" bag, it's the bag. He lied!

While munching on freshly recovered nicotine gum (it, too, was in the bag), Paulo initially tries to hide the Matryoshka doll in a hole on the beach. But Locke stumbles upon Paulo and instructs him in Obi-Locke tones to make sure he hides his "secret" in a place that won't be eroded by the tides (Locke doesn't bother asking Paulo why he's digging a hole or what he's trying to hide, but there's no use complaining because we know that's how Locke rolls).

Paulo hatches upon an idea ... literally. He revisits the Pearl station and hides the Matryoshka doll in the station's bathroom (ah-ha!). And this is where things get interesting. While inside the bathroom, Juliet and Ben enter the Pearl station wearing their Other hobo clothes (Juliet, oddly, is also wearing makeup). Ben flicks a switch on one of the Pearl's television monitors and the screen shows Jack sitting in a chair in the original hatch.

Paulo watches as Juliet and Ben talk. Juliet, looking at the TV screen, notes that Jack is "cute" but the comment doesn't phase Ben. She opts for a more direct form of razzing, asking Ben how he intends to get Jack to do emergency surgery on Ben's spinal tumor. "I can convince him to do it," Ben says, his eyes bulging with evil. "I find out what he's emotionally invested in and I exploit it."

In a "Scooby-Doo" exchange, Juliet and Ben discuss the abduction plan that eventually unfolds in "Live Together, Die Alone." They note that Michael is a key component, they reveal that Jack needs to be lured toward them, and they say that Kate and Sawyer are also part of the plan. It's the whole enchilada! And Paulo hears every bit of it!

AND HE DOES NOTHING!

Juliet and Ben leave the station and Paulo quietly exits the bathroom after listening in on their scheming.

Let's pause a moment to play a little "What If?"

What if Nikki or Paulo told someone about the Pearl? Would Boone still be alive? Would Eko be alive?

What if Paulo told Jack, Kate, Sawyer or Locke about his run-in with Ben and Juliet? Could the castaways have devised a better rescue plan for Walt? Would they know the Others were scamming them with all this hobo business?

What if Paulo had somehow seen Ben while he was being held prisoner in the hatch armory? Couldn't he identify him? Wouldn't he be able to discredit Ben's "Henry Gale" ruse?

Anyway ...

Paulo and Nikki eventually tag along with Desmond, Locke and Sayid during their Pearl Station excursion ("The Cost of Living"). Upon arriving, Paulo makes a beeline for the bathroom so he can retrieve the diamonds from the Matryoshka doll. He smashes the figurine and hides the small bag of diamonds in his crotch (classy). Paulo then stages his most notable "Lost" moment by flushing the toilet and exiting the commode as the assembled castaways offer silent prayers to the patron saint of bathroom ventilation.

Paulo's diamond double-cross is now in full effect, but Paulo isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer and it's only a matter of time before he slips up.

That slip up occurs days later as Nikki and Paulo sit together on the beach. Paulo, who's feeling reflective (must be all that fiber), says their inability to find the bag/doll/diamonds could be a blessing. After all, the diamonds could have ripped them apart. Nikki agrees and the two share a touchy-feely moment. Paulo then shuffles off to get Nikki breakfast, and that's when Nikki looks down ...

Nicotine gum. A package of nicotine gum is sitting in the sand.

Nikki realizes she's been had -- the gum was in the bag ... the diamonds were in the bag ... gum + diamonds = that Brazilian Tom Cruise is a son of a bitch.

So Nikki puts on her best flirty face and lures Paulo out into the jungle. She finds a nice secluded spot and her demeanor quickly changes (she is an actress, after all). She confronts Paulo about the diamonds and he feigns ignorance, but Nikki has none of it. She grabs a plastic canister from her bag, unscrews the top and chucks the contents at Paulo.

A big, black spider attaches to Paulo's neck. He swats at it and turns the arachnid to goo, but he's too late. The spider sank its fangs into Paulo's skin and unleashed its toxin.

Nikki delights in telling Paulo all about the spider (those lessons with Dr. Arzt pay off). The spider's bite causes paralysis and a reduced heart rate. The effects only last a few hours, but to the untrained observer the victim appears quite dead.

Paulo falls to the ground and Nikki finds the diamonds crammed in his Speedo. With paralysis looming and his pants around his knees, Paulo seizes the opportunity to apologize for his double-cross. He admits he was scared Nikki would leave him if she found the diamonds.

Nikki is moved ... but it's for naught.

In the distance, the tell-tale sound of the smoke monster slings through the trees.

Uh ... oh.

Paulo sees a black spider crawling over Nikki's shoe. The paralysis has spread to his throat -- he can't warn her! The spider chomps into Nikki's ankle.

Nikki -- to her credit -- realizes paralysis is imminent. She quickly hides the diamonds in a shallow hole then sprints back to the beach. Stumbling from the treeline, she sees Hurley and Sawyer playing ping-pong. They rush to her side as she collapses in the sand.

Nikki gasps a final word.

"Paralyzed."

And that brings us to ...

Point 2

... the search for Paulikki's killer.

You see, Hurley and Sawyer don't understand Nikki's last word. Sawyer thinks he heard "power lines," but Hurley believes she said "Paulo lies."

This sets in motion a series of events that eventually leads to a horror-film ending for Nikki and Paulo.

So here's what happens:

Working under the assumption that Nikki's last words were "Paulo Lies," the castaways begin an investigation that soon leads them to Paulo's body (I'm assuming they followed Nikki's tracks back through the jungle). They incorrectly assume that Paulo has also been murdered, but the absence of a gun wound or an exploded chest cavity confuses the detectives. While examining the area around Paulo, Sawyer appears to see something, but he quickly blinks it away.

The lack of evidence inspires a host of theories, all of which are debated and analyzed ad infinitum. Suspects include: the monster, the Others, and, eventually, Sawyer.

Suspicions of Sawyer's involvement are fueled by an eye-witness account from Desmond, who tells Hurley he saw Sawyer and Nikki arguing on the beach mere hours before Nikki turned up dead. Hurley and the other castaways confront Sawyer and he admits to knowing more than he let on.

Sawyer, ever the opportunist, says he didn't mention his morning meeting with Nikki because he noticed dirt under Nikki's nails just after she "died." Donning a deerstalker cap and puffing a pipe, Sawyer tells the assembled that a person with dirt under their nails was probably digging, and if they were digging moments before they died, then the thing they hid must be pretty valuable. Moreover, during the initial examination of Paulo's murder scene, Sawyer spotted a pile of fresh-tilled dirt, which he conveniently failed to discuss with his fellow detectives.

Sawyer pulls out Paulikki's cloth diamond sack and chucks it at Sun. She pours a handful of diamonds into her palm. In a bid to prove his innocence, Sawyer tells Sun to keep the diamonds. He huffs off.

Later in the day -- after continued debate and considerable grave digging -- Hurley leads a funeral service for Paulikki. The duo is nestled peacefully at the bottom of a six-foot dirt hole.

Hurley's service is lovely and when it concludes the castaways depart so Hurley and Sawyer can bury the departed. Sawyer -- who reacquires the diamonds from Sun (more on that in Point 3) -- sprinkles the jewels over Paulo and Nikki's lifeless bodies. He and Hurley grab shovels and drop sand into the hole.

Nikki's eyes open.

But she can't speak!

Six feet up, Hurley and Sawyer continue dropping pile after pile of dirt into the hole, unaware of the horror taking place below.

Paulikki is buried! Holy crap. The writers buried them alive!

Point 3

The ballad of Paulikki didn't add much to the series' overall progress, but their death did bring about one significant revelation.

Early on, all signs point toward the Others as Paulikki's killer, but Hurley pokes holes in this conclusion by noting that the Others are way on the opposite side of the island. It wouldn't make sense for them to trek through the brush just to kill two marginal characters.

But Sun counters this argument -- the Others tried to kidnap her mere weeks ago, so what would stop them from another incursion?

Yeah, Sun, about that kidnapping thing ...

Later in the episode, guilt wells up in Charlie's throat and, during a quiet moment with Sun, he reveals that he and Sawyer were the masterminds behind Sun's abduction. Charlie blames his actions on the "humiliation" Locke inflicted upon him in "Fire + Water." (Nice buck-passing, Chuckie.)

Sun walks away.

In the closing moments, Sun confronts Sawyer. He immediately admits involvement, but Sawyer seems more concerned that Sun is going to tell Jin. Sun says she'll keep it quiet "because then we'd have to dig another grave." (She's right ... Jin would destroy Sawyer).

Sun slings Paulikki's diamonds back at Sawyer, claiming they're worthless on the island and completely out of style. Sawyer thinks he's off the hook ...

WHACK!

Sun slaps her mighty palm across Sawyer's cheek. She walks off as Sawyer rubs his wounded flesh.

This all seems like a tidy ending to a dangling plotline, but I don't think this is over ...

Point 4

A few closing questions and observations:

Best Line: "Crime scene? Is there a forensics hatch I don't know about?" -- Sawyer.

Second Best line: "Back home, he's the Wolfgang Puck of Brazil" -- Howie the TV producer, referring to Paulo (and taking a shot at all those "Tom Cruise of Brazil" comparisons attached to Rodrigo Santoro).

I'm waiting for the day when we find out why the Others bothered to traipse around in hobo gear. Was this something they whipped up on the fly, or is it a tactic they've used in the past? Along those lines, the Tailies regarded the Others as super-survivalists with animal instincts. Are these skills the Others honed during the Dharma War, or were the Tailies merely a collection of exaggeration-prone wussies?

I also want to know the events surrounding Ben's capture in "One of Them." Did he intentionally step into Rousseau's net?

That's all I've got!

Be sure to drop by our "Lost" Forum for stimulating conversation and conjecture.

Next Episode:

"Left Behind" -- A handful of castaways float into heaven as ... crap, that's not right. Uh ... Kate and Juliet hack through the jungle. Airs Wednesday, April 4, 2007 at 10 p.m. on ABC.

Paulikki buried alive. How good for us. Lotsa questions answered. On to read the review.

#5. Posted by: Neal Mindflood at March 29, 2007 12:10 PM

Okay, now I have to wait until work is over to actually be able to watch this episode. But, I am excited and looking forward to watching and reading mac's review (plus all these comments which will probably total more than 100 by then!)

#6. Posted by: meg at March 29, 2007 12:11 PM

So that "Bolivian gold heist - oh my god! It's the Cobra" moment in TMFT was Locke watching Expose', or at least letting it run on his TV in the background.

#7. Posted by: LockeBox at March 29, 2007 12:19 PM

I really liked the way they weaved Nikki and Paolo's backstory in and amongst all of the other characters, especially Ben and Juliet, but especially Dr. "Pieces of" Arzt. Really nice to see Ol' Lando Calrissian working again, too.

While I heartily enjoyed the eye candy in last night's episode (yowzuh!), I didn't really see the relevance of Nikki and Paolo's backstory other than the following: 1. Seeing Sawyer turn over a new leaf and toss the diamonds into the grave, and B. Sun now knows that it was Charlie and Sawyer that (literally and figuratively) put the bag on her.

Okayâ€¦I'll throw in a thirdâ€¦we now have an explanation for Paolo's numerous potty breaks.

It was fun to see Boone and Shannon again. I don't remember her being such a beotch. Man, she really did have it comin'.

Maybe that's the point of the whole thingâ€¦the island, Smoky, and everything: you get what you deserve. Maybe Smoky is a lot like Gort from The Day The Earth Stood Still...an unthinking unfeeling watchdog that punishes bad-doers and rewards good-doers. Your sins are re-visited upon you. And if you are deserving, the island heals what ails you. So, according to my theory, if Charlie is to die, he must have done something awful. But that begs the question of why did Smoky throttle the pilot in the pilot episode? Maybe Smoky was upset that that homage-to-Karma My Name Is Earl's Jason Lee named his son Pilot. Or maybe Smoky killed the pilot (Greg Grunberg - in the pilot episode) because by crashing the plane he caused the deaths of many people. Or maybe it has something to do with the likelihood of your doing bad things in the futureâ€¦

"George Lucas Syndrome"â€¦that's good.

#8. Posted by: ransomjackson at March 29, 2007 12:21 PM

Buried alive? I think the writers left the option to bring them back. Earlier in the episode, as Paolo planned on burying the diamonds, Locke points out to Paolo that the beach was a bad place to bury anything because it was subject to erosion and therefore wouldn't stay buried. Thus far, the losties have all been buried at the beach.

#9. Posted by: boharpe at March 29, 2007 12:24 PM

Great job mac! Even with a marginally interesting episode based on 2 uninteresting characters, you manage to create quite a review! Have we mentioned lately that you rule all?
I'm not entirely convinced their dead yet. I mean, why couldn't they just claw their way through the dirt to the surface? Would they suffocate before paralysis has a chance to wear off?
I liked Nikki's one line, though. After she was "killed" on the set (by Billie D. Williams--awesome!!) Howie says he'd love to bring her character back sometime. She declines and says "I'm just a guest star, and we all know what happens to guest stars." LOL!
A little shout-out to all the fans, perhaps?

Another thing: The podcast said we'd find out the gay character in this episode. The only mention of anyone being gay is Shannon snapping at Boone about "flirting with random guys." Of course, we all know Boone slept with Shannon (and was shown with his arm around some girl who was probably more than just a tennis partner). So he can't be gay. Is he bi? Or was Shannon just being Shannon and trying to ruffle his feathers?

#10. Posted by: Trinity at March 29, 2007 12:25 PM

They deserved to die. There are a lot of selfish people on the island, but they take the cake.

#11. Posted by: Gerard at March 29, 2007 12:26 PM

I just figured out Paolikki's "Deus ex Machina": Vincent will come dig them up! After all, he did pull the blanket off of them, most likely because he knew they weren't dead. Yea! Vincent gets to do more grave-digging!

#12. Posted by: Trinity at March 29, 2007 12:31 PM

Being buried alive, man not the way I would want to go..

#13. Posted by: kalico at March 29, 2007 12:31 PM

I have to say, this episode left me with my jaw on the floor. Are they DEAD? Did they actually get buried alive!? What A HORRIBLE way to DIE!! I canâ€™t help but think Nikki will claw her way up through the loose earth and live, but who knows.

Also, wouldnâ€™t Paulo and Nikki have been breathing faintly, or have some sort of faint heart-beat? I canâ€™t believe the Losties just buried them without trying to administer CPR or anything!

#14. Posted by: sarah c at March 29, 2007 12:32 PM

Also, I think the writers left the door open for one, or both of them, to make it.

#15. Posted by: Gerard at March 29, 2007 12:32 PM

I couldnâ€™t figure out why Sawyer kept saying he didnâ€™t know who Nikki was, then I finally think I figured it out. Sawyer was on the raft, and that happened around day 40, right? After that, he was holed up with the tallies, then was walking back to the Beach Camp where he was then holed up in the hatch healing from his gunshot wound. So that is like 3 weeks he was away from the beach. Then, he gets kidnapped by the others and spends another 2-3 weeks on Alcatraz and the subsequent trip back. Never mind all the different hikes/adventures heâ€™s been on with the rest of the regulars. Out of the 80-some-odd days theyâ€™ve been on the island, Sawyer has only been interacting with the majority of the other Losties for roughly half that. So it stands much more to reason that he is not personally acquainted with everyone. At first, I really didnâ€™t buy that he wouldnâ€™t know her (youâ€™d think he wouldâ€™ve taken stock of all the Hot Ladies on the beach), but I suppose it is more plausible than I originally thought.

#16. Posted by: sarah c at March 29, 2007 12:33 PM

Being buried alive, man not the way I would want to go..

Great review as always Mac...

Thought the interaction between Paulo, Nikki and Ethan was interesting..

Now the talies have a Other walkie talkie.. Woo Hoo

Peace

#17. Posted by: kalico at March 29, 2007 12:33 PM

If last night ep didn't do anything else it put in the Losties hands communication with the Others. That walkie talkie could be very handy. Hopefully the batteries are still good. Also why didn't Locke and the rest explore the hallway/tunnel that Ben traveled through???

#18. Posted by: Scott at March 29, 2007 12:34 PM

I know Iâ€™ve said this before, but it REALLY annoys me when we learn something in a flash-back that is incredibly relevant, but that the Losties will never learn (Anna Lucia traveling with Christian Sheppard, Christian Sheppard being Clairâ€™s Dad, Libby being at the Mental institution, Libby being the one who gave Desmond his boat, but never meeting Desmond on the island etc), and we can now add Paulo overhearing Ben and Juliette as they devise a plan to kidnap Jack, Sawyer and Kate.

#19. Posted by: sarah c at March 29, 2007 12:34 PM

Did anyone else research Medusa Spiders? I could not find anything about them at all, so I presume they made it up for the show? Did anyone else have luck? I read that lots of spiders produce toxins, and that the kind of toxin that causes paralysis is called neurotoxic venom and not all spiders have it (there are other kinds of venom as well, considered not as deadly). I did not come across a single spider that was described as being able to paralyze a human victim for 8 hours and not kill them.

#20. Posted by: sarah c at March 29, 2007 12:35 PM

And one more thing:

Kudos to Charlie for admitting what he did to Sun.
One of the 12 Steps for conquering addiction really applies here.
8) Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Good for Charlie to take that step and make himself a better person.
And good for Sun for giving Sawyer a nice sock to the jaw. He deserved it.

#21. Posted by: sarah c at March 29, 2007 12:36 PM

Razzle Dazzle! - I loved this epi. The suspense (murder mystery), the drama (TIC), the cuts at the Nikki and Paulo characters (Nikki playing the part of a bad actress), the Paulo pottie reveal, revisiting old Losties, and the twist at the end. It was all a lot of fun.

The interaction between Hugo and Sawyer was classic! And what about the line from Hugo about Desmond's superpowers? I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

I loved the way that the treated the flashbacks. It seemed at face value that we were simply seeing backstory like any other show might depict. But once we realize that they are alive and concious, we realize that they were true Lost flashbacks!

Nikki will be back. Locke, "Things in the island don't stay buried" ...and... Nikkis's Sugardaddy (after she was killed on Expose), "We can bring you back." ...and... Vincent removing the blanket off of the "bodies" ono the beach - too much foreshadowing for there not to be something there. At least the writers left the door open.

Classic moment - At the crash scene you see the carniage, the fire, the screams, the injured people laying all around and then suddenly there's Boone asking frantically, "Do you have a pen?" Ha! I loved it! It was so surreal!

And what about Artz's first line? "Am I alive?"

@mac "but she is super intrigued by the trajectories of earthbound luggage" - Loved it. Sometimes I look forward more to your reviews than the actual show its self.

#22. Posted by: bcre8ve at March 29, 2007 12:38 PM

Wow! I thought it was a great episode. Like you said Mac, It doesn't move the story line very far, but this kind of episode was need I think. Plus, the two crappy characters are dead and I don't have to hear people whine about them anymore. Though I am slighty dad that Nikki is dead. Man, is (was) she hot or what?

Plus we all got to see Arzt again. I love his tan neckerchief.

Okseeyabye.

#23. Posted by: Eric at March 29, 2007 12:39 PM

WHAT I SAW TONIGHT (11:15 EST - 3/28/07)

After being away from home for three weeks, this past Sunday night I was able to sit down and watch the past three episodes in one fell swoop. That was quite the trek! So, I assumed that itâ€™s just about time for some comedy relief on LOST.

What an episode! A total film-noir reincarnation of Alfred Hitchcockian
suspense right before our eyes! . . . Paulo and Nikki dead? Well, kind of.

Sheâ€™s a stripper.
NO wait! Sheâ€™s a spy.
Ah...sheâ€™s a bad actress.
Sheâ€™s got a sugar daddy.....
Wait a minute. She and Paulo are murderers!!!!
Okaaaaaay.
Whoops. ALSO thieves! Getting better.
However, both are obviously not adept at travel plans.
We get to crash ALL OVER AGAIN!
Of course, this time we insert N & P.
(Talk about your TV magic! )
Nikki and Paulo sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G . . .
Wait-wait-wait. Iâ€™m getting sidetracked.
Nikki and Paulo are very glum.
They have baggage problems.
(Donâ€™t worry kids, I go through that a lot, and if you
keep your tags youâ€™ve got a 77.67% chance of having
them delivered to your house within 6 months.)
Nikki and Paulo become explorers.
(Somewhat like a VERY desperate Dora and Diego)
But thanks to good olâ€™ Mr. Artz:
They find the yellow plane.
They find a hatch.
They are way ahead of poor John and Ekko.
Paulo finds his baggage.
Paulo lies to Nikki.
At this point, things just go downhill for our young lovers.
(Note: â€œmutual deceitâ€ is NOT one of the 29 compatibility points
needed for a lasting commitment.....)

And following a wonderful scenario in which we see:
The clock winding down -
Days dwindling away -
Lostâ€™s â€œGreatest Moments Flashback Sequenceâ€ -
Paulo goes â€œhatchingâ€ and takes up plumbing -
A â€œfirstâ€ look at Ben and Juliet -
(Obviously, there ARE tunnels all over the island!) -
Hurley imitates â€œPoirotâ€ -
Guilt-ravaged Charlie finally gives it up to Sun -
Sun lays a smackdown on Sawyer (Goooood one!) -
38 minutes of Whoâ€™s Who on Planet LOSTâ€,
AND we finally arrive at THE HOOK EXTRODINAIRE!

The episode culminates in a rather dastardly bit of â€œSpidey Sense Revengeâ€
fully explained by Professor Nikki in biological terminology for all of us who
are musicians and never had to take science class . . . Itâ€™s always good
when the criminals are articulate. It means our public school educational system
is still working . . .

Paralyzed?!?!?

Question interjected here: Itâ€™s a TROPICAL island, kids. Didnâ€™t anybody
wonder why two bodies laying out in the sun didnâ€™t get a little - how can I say this delicately - ripe?

But everybody gets what theyâ€™ve been wishing for:
All the fans wanted to see N & P gone.
Paulo and Nikki get to keep the diamonds.
Happy Ending.

#24. Posted by: davidrh at March 29, 2007 12:41 PM

*****SPOILER*****

wouldnt it be cool if vincent dug them up!! and i read somewere that there is other others underground and that the castaways and the others team up and go to war with the other others!!! dont no if its true though

#25. Posted by: natalie at March 29, 2007 12:41 PM

There were lots of great hidden inuendo line... the one I loved was when Nikki said to Paulo "I hope we never end up like them" refering to the fighting Boone and Shannon at the airport. And they do end up just like them- dead!

But I agree that the writers left the door wide open for their survival, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

#26. Posted by: sarah c at March 29, 2007 12:42 PM

"I can hold my breath a looooong time!"

#27. Posted by: PiecesofArzt at March 29, 2007 12:44 PM

@ransomjackson:

> 1. Seeing Sawyer turn over a new leaf and toss the diamonds into the grave

Turn over a new leaf? Or maintain his post-Kate-l funk and his despair since Ben convinced him he'll never get off the island, to somewhere where the diamonds have value?

(Hi, everybody, esp mac.)

#28. Posted by: LockeBox at March 29, 2007 12:47 PM

My gut tells me there's gotta be more to this episode... we're just not seeing it yet.

Maybe it's just that our Losties now have a walkie talkie. But the writers have gone through a lot of effort weaving Paulikki into things this season... they weren't just Steve/Scott characters. To have it just end for them like this seems like a letdown.

And what the hell are those guys thinking by just throwing away 8 mil?! Have they given up ALL hope? At least divide the damn things up and give everyone some belly button bling!

#29. Posted by: Buck41 at March 29, 2007 12:48 PM

I personally loved the episode. As usual, great recap Mac!

Did anyone else notice that as the TV producer was dying, he was saying something about not giving Nikki a ring, and his last words were something like "when my wife ...". I think that there's a bigger story with him, and we'll either see him again, or see his widow talking about her dead husband. We probably will hear more about how he got those diamonds too.

#30. Posted by: Jenna at March 29, 2007 12:48 PM

I loved the references with the TV Show "Exposure"

"Yeah the Cobra is the bad guy whose identity has been shrouded in mystery for 4 seasons..."

"We can always bring you back next season"

#31. Posted by: Edwin at March 29, 2007 12:48 PM

FWIW, some other things the writers tried to get across...

The Paulo and Nikki discussion of what the smoke monster is.

The Arzt point of the spider's pheremones attracting other male spiders.

The sounds of the smoke monster, just prior to other spiders coming from the jungle to bite Nikki. What it pheremones, or a manifestation of the smoke monster?

Why did Nikki want the gun from Sawyer? She used the spider to incapacitate Paulo.

The significance of Bens comments, that he'll do what he always does. Find what he's emotionally attached to, and use it. Clearly Jack's emotional attachment to Kate, Juliet, and how that will be used by Ben, is going to play out more in upcoming episodes.

Desmonds comments were also significant. 'It doesn't work that way.'

The writers are trying to recover the Lost ratings and viewership, by addressing the fanbase questions. Some of the dialog in the last few episodes have been disjointed enough to have been added after the original storyline was fleshed out.

Keep the questions coming. The writers need to answer them.

#32. Posted by: Neal Mindflood at March 29, 2007 12:51 PM

I truly enjoyed the episode. Felt like I was back in season 1, hanging off the end of my couch.

Thought o' the day: I believe that Charlie confessing to Sun will become a huge moment. I think that he has cleansed himself of his sin. I thought the island had basically doomed Charlie because of his past transgressions. Desmond will come to realize that he is no longer having flashes of Charlie dying. Once he makes the connection that attoning for your sins will save you in the island's eyes, Desmond (who will start having new flashes of 'bad' people in the camp dying) will make it his mission (Jesus style boooiii!) to save all of these people...interrupt the universe course correction or whatever.

i.e. - Desmond will have a flash of Sawyer dying...investigate what Sawyer's done in the past to deserve this 'death sentence' from the island...then sneakily work on getting Sawyer to realize his mistakes and atone, which will stop the island from wanting to teach Sawyer a lesson, which will stop the flashes.

He'll work on all of the bad people that are not on the list...once he's finished they all live happily ever after.

Or I've just had waaaaay too much coffee.

#33. Posted by: Red...Neck...Man at March 29, 2007 12:53 PM

Loved the Animal Farm reference from Artz:

"The pigs are walking!"

#34. Posted by: The Duf at March 29, 2007 12:53 PM

@LockeBox

Touche.

Y'know, it occurs to me...the George Lucas Syndrome...Billy D Williams was Lando in SW...is there a connection? Or have my arms just gotten longer and I'm really reaching...

#35. Posted by: ransomjackson at March 29, 2007 12:57 PM

Thanks Mac. Great comments and observations on this episode.

** SPOILERS BELOW **

The writers are totally having fun with us, the audience. LOL at "He's the Wolfgang Puck of Brazil" = "Rodrigo Santoro is the Tom Cruise of Brazil". Brilliant! Also, Nikki's line, in Australia on set (something like, "I'm just a guest star and we all know what happens to guest stars") was brilliant as well -- a total "wink" to the LOST audience.

Shannon to Boone: "...flirting with random guys" -- Is Boone gay? Or would that make him bisexual since he slept with his step-sister, too?

So Nikki and Paulo were buried alive? Will they survive this? I hate to say it, but I think I've seen Nikki's name in descriptions of near-future episodes. So, when they showed her open her eyes as the dirt was shoveled onto her, I am going to assume that she somehow climbs out of the grave .... Maybe?

Billy Dee Williams ... I thought I'd read that he was cast as an Other. But he really played himself. Which was cool, because I know how much the writers love EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (which Williams was in -- Lando!).

Ben & Juliet in the Pearl hatch ... Cool!!!!!!!! I love how Juliet said, "He's cute" when she saw Jack.

I loved how they had Paulo finding the Pearl hatch on his own, then retrieving the diamonds from the doll in the toilet ... When the original episode aired, the fans *hated* that Paulo was such a dork and took a crap. LOL. Now we know why! Cool stuff.

The "medusa spider" thing .... Urgh. It almost worked, but not quite.

We hear the smoke monster right before the spiders emerge from the forest and sting Nikki ... Did the smoke monster cause the spiders to emerge?

All-in-all, last night's episode was pretty good. If I'm correct, most if not all of the LOST cast appeared in it last night, which was fun.

I'm confused by the episode though. I wonder why the show added Nikki & Paulo? So far, in Season Three, they have appeared in only a handful of episodes and contributed hardly anything to the story. Then, suddenly, in this -- the 14th episode of the season -- they are killed off and given a flashback. So, I will assume that their time on LOST is over. So why were they there in the first place?

Do you think that the LOST crew hired two new actors just so they could write an episode that was like a mini-murder mystery and so that they could do a "beach story" that would include most of the the LOST actors?

Also, the only other thing it seems like last night's story did was re-establish the timeline on the island (80 days?) and remind viewers who may be new to the show about what has happened (Plane crash, Boone and Shannon died, etc., etc.).

Weird.

Another new thought: Since I have good evidence that the LOST writers really do tie up loose ends, I am going to assume that there is purpose in this episode which has not been revealed yet. However ... I also want to point out the whole Rose/Bernard subplot from last season that has gone - to date - absolutely NO WHERE! Rose received an entire episode (much like this one) to herself. Then, because of casting issues one supposes, Rose has not been back for Season Three.

** A second new thought: This is unrelated to this specific episode. However, I was thinking that, in Season Two, Ben (then known as "Henry Gail") showed up at the Hatch. He told Locke he was coming for him ... In retrospect, this is fascinating. Ben must have known about his tumor by then. He sought out Locke, whom he knew had been paralyzed and now healed. On top of all that ... this is the important part ... Ben manipulated Locke into *not* pushing the button in the Hatch. Ben planted the seed that the button was "fake" and nothing would happen if Locke failed to push it. After a few episodes, this culminated with the Season Two finale show in which the button did not get pushed, where Desmond hit the failsafe, and where the sky turned purple.

My point here: Ben *wanted* the sky to turn purple. Ben *wanted* the button to not get pushed.

Why?

I'm sure we will find out. But we know several things so far: Once the sky turned purple, it messed up the islands communications and the ability to leave the island in the submarine. If this was Ben's goal then, again, the question is WHY?

I liked it last night's episode ... kind of.

But it was weird ....

#36. Posted by: Matt at March 29, 2007 12:58 PM

I'm kind of shocked seeing all the people that loved this episode.

To me, this episode was an absolute waste of an hour. This episode did very little to move the story arc and it just seems like the writers are stalling for time. We had a filler episode 3 or so weeks back, we don't need another one so soon after. I'm not entirely sure why they're having so many pacing issues, I can handle many, many episodes strung together that move an arc, but the arc seems to be moving at a snail's pace with all the fillers.

I'd also like to think that Hurley set the record for most dudes said in an episode, that bordered on absurd, there were points where I hoped that he would just stop talking. He drove me up a wall last night and he's normally a likeable character for me.

For anyone that thinks that these two expendable characters are dead, I'm sure you have another thing coming. I think I'd be upset with either direction they take with these two, why would they introduce them as pivotal characters if their only point was to kill them off for no real reason, it didn't accomplish anything. If they bring them back, what can they possibly bring them back for?

At this point, the Lost experience has grown disenchanting. It would take four seasons to wrap up all the questions they've made at the pace they're going at. I can only hope they really get around to answering some questions and fix the pacing issues.

#37. Posted by: Bryan at March 29, 2007 12:58 PM

Thanks Mac, I have a couple of thoughts and comments. I think it's hilarious the way Sawyer kept asking Paulikki who the hell they were.... laughed every time. It is very Wes Craven-ish to be buried alive like that and only be paralyzed by a spider. All of this over greed. A thought that raises my eyebrow is about Sawyer spreading the diamonds over Paulikkis body, I mean he's the greediest SOB of 'em all, he's devious and a con man in the real world, so does the spreading of the diamonds means he's given up?, He thinks no one will rescue them? I mean if I was in Sawyers shoes, no matter how burnt into my mind the thought of "no rescue" is, I would keep a few diamonds just in case no? The Others get to go to the mainland, or so we are led to believe, so maybe trade a few of those diamonds with the Others for a passage to "anywhere else". The walkie talkie that Paulikki had will be really helpful on the upcoming episodes I bet.
I see no point in the writters bringing Paulikki back anyways to explain any of their non-disclosure issues of the plane, the hatch, etc.... So I guess they'll stay underground. Kuddos on the ending of this episode.

#38. Posted by: mapache at March 29, 2007 12:59 PM

One thing that occurred to me with watching last night's episode is that Nikki and Paulo embodied Greed. Got me thinking: are other characters who have been killed on the island related to any of the "seven deadly sins"?

The Sins (and who could have died for them):

Lust - Boone (lusted after and slept with his sister);

Gluttony - ?;

Greed - Paulikki;

Sloth -- Shannon (talk about lazy);

Wrath -- Ana Lucia (consumed by rage);

Envy -- ?;

Pride -- Eko (speech about pride at moment of death);

Any thoughts?

#39. Posted by: DJ Ativanex at March 29, 2007 1:00 PM

Loved the scene of Tom Cruise's cousin(Ethan) talking to the Brazilian Tom Cruise. Also the reference to Paolo as the Brazilian Wolfgang Puck was a nice touch!

#40. Posted by: Crispy Seaplanes at March 29, 2007 1:01 PM

@ DJ Ativanex:
Hurley's battle with the Dharma food is obviosly the gluttony aspect! Good call with the 7 deadlies!

#41. Posted by: sarah c at March 29, 2007 1:03 PM

But Hurley isn't dead, but maybe he's next! Come to think of it, Hurley is a totally expendable character.....

#42. Posted by: sarah c at March 29, 2007 1:05 PM

I liked the episode only that I didn't care that much for Paulikki. But it was definitely a great episode, good homage to The Twighlight Zone, IMHO.

But What if, WHAT IF, the parallelism doesn't end there? What if the whole thing with the Cobra, "Its been you all this time" also fits into Lost? And I mean of course, what if Him, assumed to be Jacob, ends up being a character we have been seeing all this while? Hmmm?

#43. Posted by: LostFanInPR at March 29, 2007 1:08 PM

Hurley as the glutton...seems a slam dunk.

Sawyer as Envy? Isn't that what a con man is all about? Coveting that which is not yours? And oh yeah, BTW, didn't he schtoop Kate who seems to have it bad for Jack?

I can hang with the 7 Deadlies theory, but what's the end-game? The producers have repeatedly said this is not Purgatory.

Is Mr. Roarke (Ricardo Montalban) lurking nearby?

#44. Posted by: ransomjackson at March 29, 2007 1:12 PM

Well if the Paulikkis don't rise for a special easter showing of Lost, the producers are still on track - killing off ~one islander per episode. When they are all gone the shows over.

#45. Posted by: ronwies at March 29, 2007 1:12 PM

Well if the Paulikkis don't rise for a special Easter showing of Lost, the producers are still on track - killing off ~one islander per episode. When they are all gone the shows over.

#46. Posted by: ronwies at March 29, 2007 1:13 PM

You people are way too young. Ask me and davidrh. That ending wasn't "Twilight Zone" - it was straight out of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". I can practically hear the oboe and see a chubby little man stepping into a silhouette of himself.

Ok, while reading the comments I thought about something Ben had said to Jack a few epis ago, something like . . . "We had a good surgeon, his name was Ethan."

Ok, so . . . was Ethan dead before Paulo was caught in the crapper? Because Ben was planning on getting Jack to do the surgery WAY before Ethan was 86'd. Or so it seems. I guess Ben could have just been trying to be the Alpha-Male and tried to one-up Jack when he commented that they didn't have a surgeon. Anybody have any other ideas about this?

#48. Posted by: Adam at March 29, 2007 1:18 PM

@mac: It's Arzt. A room full of 6th graders can spell it!

#49. Posted by: PiecesofArzt at March 29, 2007 1:21 PM

@PiecesofArzt: Easy there, Leslie ;)

#50. Posted by: mac at March 29, 2007 1:26 PM

I too think they'll somehow get out of the grave. I can picture the hilarity ensuing when they walk up behind Hurley and scare the crap out of him! Besides--why hire the Brazilian Tom Cruise if you're not going to use him for anything?
I do feel the ben and Juliet scene was very important. It revealed that they did not know anything about the Losties before the crash--ergo they did not arrange for them to end up on the island or plan the crash. Ben says he will FIND OUT what Jack is emotionally invested in and exploit it. This tells me that all they know about the Losties was discovered through research after the crash.
I also felt it made more sense now after hearing Sawyer keep asking who Nikki and Paolo were. Even when he was present on the beach, he always kept to himself in his tent. Hurley does know the tow of them because he's been social with all the survivors since the beginning. It really kept with their characters nicely that Sawyer didn't know them but Hurley did.

#51. Posted by: Crispy Seaplanes at March 29, 2007 1:26 PM

I only have a few comments. I thought the episode was okay, but it was really to show how some other things were happening (Ben & Juliet, etc) while we were distracted by the Jack/Kate/Sawyer thing.

* Diamonds useless on the island? Are you kidding? They are the hardest substance on earth. you have enough to drill for oil...

* No way it's the end of Paulikki. Digging them up to get to the diamonds would be too gross otherwise.

* I LOVE Ethan (LOVE HIM) and just having him there made my day.

* Charlie copping to his crime was a big event.

* I think the point about 'Jacob' being one of the Losties is right on...

Peace out.

#52. Posted by: TheOtherKate at March 29, 2007 1:27 PM

Razzle dazzle, Mac! :D

#53. Posted by: Connie at March 29, 2007 1:27 PM

I couldn't believe Sawyer would just throw those diamonds in the grave with Paulikki. Bet he comes back and digs them up... now wouldn't that be sweet if Paulikki was still alive and as Sawyer is removing the sand they both sit up and scare the be-Jesus out of him. THAT would be a great moment. And 'ronwies' comments above would make sense too - raising from the grave at Easter. What an Easter Egg!!

@ bcre8ve - your comment "Classic moment - At the crash scene you see the carniage, the fire, the screams, the injured people laying all around and then suddenly there's Boone asking frantically, "Do you have a pen?" Ha! I loved it! It was so surreal!"

During the original crash scene, Dr. Jack needed a pen to put in a tracheotomy tube to help one of the passengers breath (can't remember who right now) and asked Boone to find one.

Great review as always mac.

#54. Posted by: BunnyLover at March 29, 2007 1:29 PM

@Connie: Razzle freakin' dazzle back atcha ;)

#55. Posted by: mac at March 29, 2007 1:31 PM

Great Recap!!!!! Interesting episode. I was intrigued by Paolo and Nikki the entire way only to find out that they were absolutely unequivocally totally useless! But it was fun anyways.

#56. Posted by: jonlocke at March 29, 2007 1:33 PM

A friend of mine and I have been theorizing that Jack is Jacob, either way we do believe Jacob is one of the Losties, that or Jack's dad. It's the best working theory we have currently.

@Red-Neck-Man -- I also had that feeling about Charlie "confessing his sins"...Ol' Mr. Eko seemed to have his chance to confess his life's sins to his brother / Smokey, but he chose to say that he had nothing to apologize for. Smokey didn't seem to appreciate that answer.

@Mapache -- The obvious choice for "gluttony" would seem to point directly at Hurley, but I don't feel I know what Hurley has done to deserve being on that "bad" list.

"Twilight Zone" ending was very accurate, mac. Anyone that has watched an old 45-year old Twilight Zone episode on the SciFi channel in recent times will understand that the eyes opening / in-the-hole-looking-up point-of-view as the shovelful of dirt comes down was nothing short of a Rod Serling-ish homage.

#59. Posted by: RWS at March 29, 2007 1:38 PM

Actually, Bunny Lover, Boone had been administering CPR incorrectly to Rose after the crash, Jack came and took over, Boone asked if he needed to do "that Pen in the throat thing", Jack, already annoyed with Boone, sends him off on a fool's errand (to find a pen). He brings back 4 or 5... "I didn't know which kind would work..." By then, Rose is breathing again.

#60. Posted by: sarah c at March 29, 2007 1:38 PM

Where did Arntz get all those jars?

#61. Posted by: neumann at March 29, 2007 1:42 PM

The jars had to have been Smokey! Otherwise you've found the fatal flaw in Lost's plausibility!

#62. Posted by: LockeBox at March 29, 2007 1:46 PM

I saw this on Entertainment Weekly's recap of Expose (I have to read something while I wait for you to post your review Mac) and thought it was neat:

What do these three television artifacts have in common?

Lost Flight A 1969 TV movie about the survivors of an airplane crash struggling to live on a deserted jungle island. ''An adult version of Lord of the Flies,'' according to imdb.com.

The New People A short-lived 1969 TV series on ABC about a bunch of young punks who crash on an island that was supposed to be used as an atomic test site but never was. (Maybe the military got spooked by the giant smoke monster that liked to bang them around like an angry baby with a rattle.) Forgotten by the outside world, the kids settle into the abandoned facilities on the island and take a stab at starting an idyllic civilization.

Lost An ongoing ABC television series that last night fielded a frequently clever if not altogether successful episode about two of its least compelling characters, Nikki and Paulo, a.k.a. ''Little Miss Who the Hell Are You?'' and ''Hunky Brazilian Guy Who Poops a Lot.''

The common denominator?

Billy Dee Williams was in all three!
How cool is that?!?

#63. Posted by: Matt at March 29, 2007 1:48 PM

Ben wanted Locke to blow up the hatch because he figured out it would disable communications. And he wants to keep his verge-of-revolt people trapped on the island.

Ben's "official" reason was to get Jack, or to work out a way to get Jack. Which Ben also needed.

The thing he told Locke was either a lie, or b/c Ben wants people who are easy to manipulate. (Not people who are "good" like Goodwin told Ana Lucia.)

Just a fun anecdote:
In one of the later scenes (I think during Hurley's burial speech) I heard a distinctive bird call - a white-throated sparrow - which doesn't live in Hawaii or Lost Land. Either there is a very lost bird where they film or the producers used the wrong audio sample :)

#65. Posted by: claire at March 29, 2007 1:52 PM

@neumann:

I was wondering that too, but looking back at them they look like he had scrounged them from the wreckage. One of them, I think the one the Medusa spider was in, was clearly a can that tennis balls come in with the label ripped off.

#66. Posted by: Matt at March 29, 2007 1:52 PM

@Matt: Could Lando Calrissian = Jacob? ;)

#67. Posted by: mac at March 29, 2007 1:53 PM

Oh, and Paulikki made two major contributions:

1 - the walkie-talkie
and
2 - the diamonds!!!

I bet we see BOTH again. In fact, I bet Sawyer put the diamonds in the pit so he can go dig em up again, after everyone else forgets they exist.

Or maybe he'll go dig 'em up a few hours later... which might not be for two episodes.

If he does, he might find their faces blue, from suffocation. Won't that be a pretty sight?!

I don't think Paulikki are dead, the scene of Vincent the dog dragging the cloth away was proabably a hint of things to come or may be Des might get another vision (so far his visions are focused on Charlie!). People have comeback from near death previously in this show (Charlie).

In the episode ? where Lock finds the hatch, the door was pretty hard to identify as the dirt above it was solid, not like when Paulikki stubled on it. Wonder what happened after their discovery, may be Paulo tried to hide it better!

Mac, you didn't mention the walkie talkie they found in Paulo's bag and the theory that they were working with others! I am sure walkie is going to be handy later!

Also, Nikki and Paulo are definitely dead. The spider venom and paralysis didn't kill them... the lack of oxygen did. You see, when you're buried, you can't breathe. And when you can't breathe, YOU DIE. So dead they are.

#72. Posted by: Remus at March 29, 2007 2:05 PM

Nik and Paolo are dead. As dead as Dr. Shepherd Sr...

They were both still pretty much fully paralyzed when being buried, or were just coming out of it enough to open their eyes. So being strong enough to claw out from the dirt wouldn't be feasible.

6-ish feet of dirt is WAY too much weight to claw out of anyway. Even if you had all of your muscles working and adrenaline pumping.

Under 6-ish feet of dirt there is *zero* oxygen. N&P would've suffocated in a matter of minutes. Even if Vincent (or a diamond-seeking Sawyer!) dug them up a short time later, it would be too late. It would've been different if they were in makeshift caskets with a bit of air-time remaining. But they weren't- they're sucking dirt.

Dey been keeled off I tellya!

Now having said that...I fully expect N&P to somehow return. Which would be disappointing and cheezy to me. Flashbacks would be fine, but I can't think of a single realistic way they could've survived their predicament.

#73. Posted by: JoePike at March 29, 2007 2:10 PM

HAHA! Did anyone else find it really funny last night? I mean they were so meaningless to the show I couldn't help but laugh at their fate. Hopefully they stay in the ground. BTW it's really stupid that they keep bringing back Shannon and Boone. They're dead. Let's be done with it. I love Arzt though. They could totally bring him back Bobby style (Dallas) and I would love it.
JAC

#74. Posted by: JAC at March 29, 2007 2:10 PM

@mac: If Billy Dee Williams (who was playing himself) ends up being Jacob that might be the greatest twist ending in the history of TV! M. Night Shyamalan eat your heart out.

Great review as always Mac. I liked this episode despite the fact the writers combined two of my greatest fears: spiders and being buried alive, into one show.

#75. Posted by: Matt at March 29, 2007 2:11 PM

Granted the episode was very interesting and seeing Paolliki's life from a different perspective gave a fresh feeling to Lost, I couldn't see the big picture. I was half expecting the black bag that Paolo and Nikki stole to be some kind of hugely important Dharma secret device that had huge implications for the island. The producers said these characters were important. They were just stupid.

I don't understand why Paolo HAD to steel the diamonds at that moment when Locke and them found the Pearl Station...I'm sure no one is going to look through the back part of the toilet. Also, why didn't he choose a new hiding location....he still kept it in his pants. (Did he expect imminent rescue?? ARE THEY WITH THE OTHERS) prob not after seeing this episode but jeez what is the point?

And Nikki....she buried the diamonds after being paralyzed then runs back to the beach. WHY DOESNT SHE BRING THE DIAMONDS WITH HER??? is she that paranoid that ppl will find her body and steal her worthless diamonds. Sawyer may find the diamonds and pocket it...but isn't it more important that she tells ppl she's paralyzed before she loses the ability to speek. I guess that's the price of greed.

#76. Posted by: Matt S at March 29, 2007 2:19 PM

BTW...Awesome and hilarious review as usual Mac.

That's the problem with introducing 'new' characters to Lost and then retro-fitting them into past scenes. Things they obviously should've done had they been there all along didn't happen... Telling someone about the small plane, the new hatch, seeing Ben and Juliet, blah blah blah. It just floors me that we're to assume that Paolo wouldn't let someone know they're not alone on the island and are even being kept under surveillance.

There has to be more plans for N&P though, otherwise why even bring them on the show??? I just hope they don't have them survive the burial through some ridiculous miracle. Maybe the writers' plans for the duo were drastically changed after poor fan reaction to them... so they thought they'd satisfy the fans through a nasty end to N&P.

#77. Posted by: JoePike at March 29, 2007 2:21 PM

Could Howie's wife be the widow Locke's Dad was trying to marry?

#78. Posted by: Diana at March 29, 2007 2:22 PM

@DJ antivanex et al....maybe Ben, Juliet, or Kate as Envy?? Anyone see the previews for next week?

@Matt...excellent fact about the Billy D reference in all three...maybe he IS Jacob!

I don't know about all of you, but I really missed seeing Walt and Michael in the "flashbacks" of last night's episode...granted, no AL, Libby or Eko either, but I was hoping to see Walt and Mike....sniffle sniffle...

Here are a few names and other bits I picked up on last night...are they familiar in the context of the show to anyone?
Strike Team Alpha (on Nikki's resume)
Dr. Kincaid, Esq (another show)
Howard L. Zuckerman (the director)
Also, if Thanksgiving was two weeks ago (according to Nikki), then what is the exact date? Can we figure this out? Is this significant in any way?

#79. Posted by: Vikki at March 29, 2007 2:23 PM

When Locke told poopy paulo "Nothing stays buried on this island" does that mean Sawyer or one of the other losties who witnessed him dumping the diamonds in the grave circle back to dig them up and get the surprise of their life? Maybe that's how Charlie will die... he quickly circles back and starts digging and Nikki wakes up and strangles him for touching her jewels?
Did Poopy and Stikki (fingers) they know what was going on while paralyzed and being buried alive? EEEK
Why was Juliette so spooked to be in the flame? Gotta be a reason.

#80. Posted by: lost addict at March 29, 2007 2:28 PM

I'm also puzzled as to why Locke and Co. didn't explore the tunnel going out from the Pearl Hatch. It didn't appear to be hidden- Ben and Juliet just walked away down the tunnel as Ben turned the light off. The tunnel system may even go all the way back to Bennsylvania, so it seems the Lostie's should've gone exploring.

#81. Posted by: JoePike at March 29, 2007 2:41 PM

as always mac, great recap.

i felt this episode was just ok and like others have already stated, it did nothing to move the episode along. to be honest the duo got on my nerves and i found myself wishing they would just hurry up and get to the point/purpose of the two being on the island and how it could possibility be significant.

loved seeing billy dee the man is still the king of smooth and cool.

my question is if paulo was poisoned first, shouldnt he have started coming around before nikki?? true it was a matter of minutes but once we found out what really happened i would have expected paulo to start moving first.

#82. Posted by: tiffani at March 29, 2007 2:41 PM

This episode was cheese filled from the beginning...sooo predictable..and I dunno the spider thing? Nothing great was learned here except two really hot actors were killed off? Loved the Locke/ Paulo moment though. and boy do I miss Shannon and Boone...I so wish they hadn't been killed off, they offered so much more to LOST then Charlie or even Claire for that matter..oh well....

Oh but this still raises the question:
WHERE ARE ROSE AND BERNARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!C'mon now LOST writers what the?? Even just a second of them walking on the beach or something???? Where are they???????????

#83. Posted by: Amy at March 29, 2007 2:47 PM

I hope Nikki's at least alive. That image of her in the bikini top as she approached Arzt will keep satisfied until my son is born and I can start bothering my poor wife again! BRING NIKKI BACK

#84. Posted by: timb at March 29, 2007 2:47 PM

Do you want to know the most annoying thing, bloggers like Meg. Are you that excited that you are the "first" one to post? I have to know Meg, how old are you?

Other than that, the episode was great. It is strange though that Paulo had the time away from Julliet. Anytime we have ever seen them they were always together. So it was kinda good to see that they actually seperated each other for a while.

Also, was Julliets plan to paralyzed Paulo and bury him alive? It just seemed extreme to kill him because he lied to her. Oh well.

#85. Posted by: Jon is FOUND at March 29, 2007 2:49 PM

The hatch was harder to open for Locke and Boone b/c Ben said, have them cover that up.

#86. Posted by: Jstewart at March 29, 2007 2:56 PM

It's even more annoying when you type "Julliet" but mean "Nikki"!

Just kidding. We're all adults (for the most part) here, so let's not bicker...

Though I don't think Nik had any intention of killing Paolo. She just really wanted the diamonds and to teach him a lesson...and get a little revenge in the process.

#87. Posted by: JoePike at March 29, 2007 3:01 PM

Keep it nice. The "first" thing is harmless. -- mac

#88. Posted by: mac at March 29, 2007 3:03 PM

Ok, all you people that think Paulikki are going to rise from the grave tell me this:

How do they breathe with dirt covering their faces?
No way they could dig out of that.
They would have had to be digging upwards while Hurley and Sawyer were still throwing dirt on the mound, and they would have seen the dirt moving.

No way.
They are dead. As dead as Charlie will be in two weeks.
Deal with it.

#89. Posted by: Zeppo at March 29, 2007 3:13 PM

90th Post...WOO HOO!

Matt said:
"I liked this episode despite the fact the writers combined two of my greatest fears: spiders and being buried alive, into one show."

What if they'd been buried alive WITH spiders?

Someone asked about Nikki and what caused her to use the spider on Paolo. It was the only thing she could think of after being turned down for a gun by Sawyer. Her ideal option would've been to hold Paolo at gun-point until he gave up the diamonds, but when that didn't pan out she had to come up with something else.

Sorry about the top line...couldn't resist...

#90. Posted by: JoePike at March 29, 2007 3:16 PM

@BunnyLover "During the original crash scene, Dr. Jack needed a pen to put in a tracheotomy tube to help one of the passengers breath (can't remember who right now) and asked Boone to find one."

I guess I could have added more to my comment. It was Rose. Jack came up on Boone who was freaking out over Rose not breathing. Boone suggested she needed one of those pen in the neck" things (paraphrase). Jack put him on the pen trek in order to get rid of him so he could work on her. My comment was that it was cool to see the cross over between epis.

This scene being in this season 3 epi debunks the theory that Des changed the timeline and Paulikki took the place of Rosenard.

#91. Posted by: bcre8ve at March 29, 2007 3:18 PM

To paraphrase the movie, Better Off Dead...

"Now that's a real shame when folks be throwin' away a perfectly good white (girl) like that."

#92. Posted by: ransomjackson at March 29, 2007 3:20 PM

Sorry about the "First" comment. It is just annoying and never understood why people have to do it. But I will move on...

This might be picking at the show, but why did Nikki wake up first? Or at least open her eyes first? First of all, Paulo was bit first and secondly, he is much bigger than her so his bosy would probably beat all the toxins first.

#93. Posted by: Jon is FOUND at March 29, 2007 3:22 PM

He got bitten by the large female spider from Arzt's jar, she got bitten by a smaller male spider fresh from the jungle.

#94. Posted by: LockeBox at March 29, 2007 3:30 PM

Paulo was bit in the neck and Nikki herself said the venom would work quicker because of this so maybe a bit on the foot is less lethal.

Very annoying that there was a tunnel going into the hatch that the lostie never explored(maybe it is hidden). The dirt could have also been loose on top bc that is the passage way that Ethan took to reach the beach camp quicker, and he had not recovered his tracks yet.

I think the bigger picture that we are missing is why was Juliet was so chummy with Ben? Is she still, or she is part of the Jack plan, or was it just to get close to him so she could get off the island. Think that we still need to watch out for her, but looks like Kate has that handled :)

#95. Posted by: Dakota at March 29, 2007 3:35 PM

re: Paulo in the Pearl hatch -

JoePike said - 'I'm also puzzled as to why Locke and Co. didn't explore the tunnel going out from the Pearl Hatch. It didn't appear to be hidden- Ben and Juliet just walked away down the tunnel as Ben turned the light off. The tunnel system may even go all the way back to Bennsylvania, so it seems the Lostie's should've gone exploring.'

Why are people thinking there is a tunnel that connects to the Pearl hatch? I was under the impression that Ben and Juliette put on their dirty clothes to walk to the Pearl hatch cause if someone saw them, they keep the illusion of the Others being primitive. And when they got to the hatch they said, 'who left this open?'. I would think that when they left, they climbed back up the ladder and closed, locked, and re-covered the hatch so nobody could find it easily. i.e. as it was shown when Locke and Boone found it in '?'.

If this is the case, and there is no tunnel, how the hell did Paulo get out of there? Doubt there was an un-locking mechanism inside the hatch. And if I'm wrong, and there is a tunnel (no chance), then he must have had to travel the same route as Ben and Juliette to get out. He'd have quite an intimate knowledge of the underground system by now.

But of course in true fashion, there is no need to tell anyone else this info.

#96. Posted by: Red...Neck...Man at March 29, 2007 3:36 PM

I'm sure somebody mentioned this.. but the best line of the episode for me was when Nikki is walking off the set of Expose right after she gets killed off and says "You know what happens to guest stars".... Not only was that foreshadowing, but I definitely saw it was major tongue-in-cheek by the writers...

#97. Posted by: Fish at March 29, 2007 3:38 PM

Before I read a single word on this page, I'm posting my thoughts...for better or for worse.

This episode was, in a word, FILLER.

Good, fun filler, but filler none the less.

(...and I hope they're truly dead and buried)

#98. Posted by: Sillygirl0630 at March 29, 2007 3:55 PM

Fate worse than being buried alive with spiders?

Being buried alive with spiders and having sand thrown in your eyes.

That is so not comfortable.

#99. Posted by: bcre8ve at March 29, 2007 3:59 PM

"Billy Dee, Billy Dee, Billy Dee!!!"
Mama Klump, the Nutty Professor

Okay, so it didn't appear to be all that relevant to the show's story arc, but this was one well-written, craftily designed episode. And it gave me nightmares. Anybody ever see "The Vanishing"? I mean the original?

#100. Posted by: Rob at March 29, 2007 4:02 PM

About the 7 deadly sins thing...

How about Ben for envy? Don't you think that Ben is envious of Locke because he's in a wheelchair and Locke isn't?

#101. Posted by: Destynee at March 29, 2007 4:02 PM

I was thinking about how cool it was that all the characters were back in one episode together, including Boone and Shannon. I love when I see the name Ian Somerhalder on the beginning credits!

Anyway, NOT everybody was in this episode, namely Michael and Walt. I wonder why they didn't weave Michael in somehow? And, of course, Rose and Bernard weren't there.

Favorite thing about this episode is that they now have an Other walkie talkie! Think of the possibilities.

#102. Posted by: Amanda S. at March 29, 2007 4:07 PM

I just watched the eposide, I had to record it and watch it today. But I thought that the spider that bit Nikki, the Medusa spider attracted male spiders with just a whiff, (which is why the professor guy didn't want her to open the jar). I didn't see the "smoke monster", I saw a lot of spiders crawling on the leaves and such. And then the one that bit Nikki. Appropriate I think.

#103. Posted by: Cully Lady at March 29, 2007 4:08 PM

@ bcre8ve - Oh - I get it now. Thanks for the very creative posting you do here! Excellent crossover references.

@ sarah c - Thank you for the Jack/Boone/Rose scene recap. I knew I'd seen it, but couldn't remember all the details without pulling out my DVD collection... and well let's say that's not convenient right now (at work) shhhhh....

Hey, did anyone notice seeing Rose or Benard at the crash scene this time? Did they superimpose Paulikki in the original taped version (just different angles) cause surely they didn't recreate the crash scene just to film parts with Paulikki in it?? Or were they actually in the original filming of the scene, but wound up on the cutting room floor until now? I've heard that Paulikki have been in the background for a long time before being "introduced," but have no way of confirming this.

#104. Posted by: BunnyLover at March 29, 2007 4:11 PM

Everyone happy now ?? Personally, i think I'm in love with Nikki. At least her looks anyway...

If I heard correctly, when Ben and Juliette came into the hatch, Ben says "Good it's open." and Juliette replied, "Tom was here a few days ago." Ben answered back with "Have Tom cover it with the plane." Am I correct? Did Tom push Boone off the cliff? Also, I went back to when Lock and Ecko found the hatch and there does not appear to be a doorway off to the side of the TV screens. Maybe someone with high def can double check that.

#107. Posted by: Peb at March 29, 2007 4:28 PM

That was a rather large grave they dug. Had to have taken a couple of hours. Even though they're on a hot tropical island, Paulikki's body temperature would have dropped quite a lot if they were dead. (We learned on CSI that body temp drops 1.5 degrees F per hour.) Someone should have noticed they were still warm.

#108. Posted by: hurling at March 29, 2007 4:29 PM

Got to add one to the "Best Lines of the Episode":

Hurley to Desmond (paraphrase): Dude, of all the super powers, yours is kinda lame.

#109. Posted by: PenFoe at March 29, 2007 4:29 PM

@ hurling: "That was a rather large grave they dug."

WGNABG (We're Gonna Need A Bigger Grave)!

#110. Posted by: Trinity at March 29, 2007 4:32 PM

Well I keep waiting for someone to bring this up...perhaps I was imagining things. When Juliet and our oh so evil friend Ben were in the hatch watching Jack, didn't they call him by a name other than Jack?

As always...thanks Mac.

#111. Posted by: petew at March 29, 2007 4:38 PM

Unquestionably the best line of the episode (I'll save ya'll):

When they find Paulo and are looking at him, Jin says something completely in Korean and Hurley follows with, 'Ya, I know.' or something like that.

Classic!

#112. Posted by: Red...Neck...Man at March 29, 2007 4:42 PM

I think I mentioned this in my earlier post, but I really think it is a major revelation that the others did not cause the losties to come to the island. When Ben says he will find what Jack cares about emotionally and exploit it, he's saying that he doesn't really know as much about Jack as yet as we might have thought. All that research was done post-crash, hence the need for Ethan and Goodwin to infiltrate and act as spies. It speaks a lot to me that there is some other force at work that brought these people together on this plane.

#113. Posted by: Crispy Seaplanes at March 29, 2007 4:44 PM

@petew
I believe that Juliet asks Ben "Is that him? Shepard?" I don't believe they called him anything else.

#114. Posted by: nd fan at March 29, 2007 4:46 PM

Reading BunnyLover's comments just now got me to thinking: did they actually do some sort of superimpose/insert shots, -OR- (as I prefer to think) did they have these scenes ready all along? I'm sure they are writing some of this as they go, but they way these plot points intertwine, I think they have shot some multiple point-of-view scenes in advance. Especially when you consider the effort of redressing a set as large as the plane crash. It makes me wonder what other little flashbacks may await us in future episodes.

Also, was anyone else a bit let down at the "handful" of diamonds worth eight million dollars? I suppose they could be, I'm no gem merchant, but personally I was hoping to see a rock the size of a goose egg. Of course, that would have been a LOT easier to dig up too. I don't think they will ever dig up the diamonds now though, it's much more poetic that the poisoners were done in by poison, and buried with the wages of their greed. They sure weren't on the list, were they?

Lastly, did anyone think Nikki was actually reflecting on what Paulo had said, in a "You know... maybe he is right..." kind of way, before she was distracted by the spiders? I'm not certain she was going to kill him, just make him sweat for a while maybe. But it certainly seems that the whole "Yes, I have the diamonds" bit would have soured their relationship just a smidge.

#115. Posted by: The Duf at March 29, 2007 4:47 PM

Not familiar with Nicotine gum, but wouldn't it have disolved being under water for two months? I mean, the packaging isn't made of Teflon. I suppose the plastic "bubbles" could have protected it somehow, but it still struck me as odd. Not significant-odd, just producer-error odd.

That's it. Great job, Mac. You made my birthday that much more special today. Thnak you!

Actually, what seemed even odder about the gum to me was, wouldn't Paulo, having been forced into a cold turkey situation, be past the need for the gum?

It's a month, and you haven't smoked or had gum. Your body should have adapted, no? Or was he just enjoying having ANY nicotine again? That could be it, I suppose.

I think the foil/plastic wrapping would do fine in water. I went swimming with some cough drops in a pocket once, and they were completely unaffacted by it, very similar "pop-out" packaging.

#118. Posted by: The Duf at March 29, 2007 5:04 PM

Ben definitely got himself captured on purpose so that he could learn more about Jack in order to "break" him after capturing him. Once he learned from Jack that his tumor was so advanced, he had to move to Plan B.

I think there will be more flashbacks with Nikki and Paulo which reveal more answers. They had to have some motivation for not "telling" what they discovered. I also think they were filmed in advanced and were cut (on purpose or not). It would have been A LOT of work to recreate those brief, mostly irrelevant crash scenes.

#119. Posted by: BEMH at March 29, 2007 5:05 PM

Best line
"Dude............monster."

It was a fun episode, and at the end, when we realize that they arnt dea at all, and get buried alive, all I could think was, HOW HITCHCOCK!!

Great review, always look forward to reading them right after watching the show just to see if I missed anything.

#120. Posted by: Adrian at March 29, 2007 5:12 PM

Why would Paulo and Nikki say anything about what they found? They were after a place to hide stolen diamonds, right? If you put yourself in their place, it seems to me that they had puh-lenty of motivation to keep to themselves. And remember, those scenes are "early" in the show too, Nikki is even worried the Coast Guard will be there anytime! Then, once Paulo had hidden the diamonds, he sure wasn't going to mention that he had been down in the station and heard these plans. "And why were you down in that shaft, Paulo?" The reason he took them out later is also simple: he could not stand the idea that maybe, just maybe, someone could now find them. Was it unlikely? Absolutely. But was it impossible? Nope, not at all.

Some kind of shorts Paulo must have, by the way. They don't all come with a secret diamond storage pouch, or at least the last few pairs I bought didn't. :)

#121. Posted by: The Duf at March 29, 2007 5:19 PM

Anyone else find it odd that Paulo had to be chewing nicotine gum like 50 days after the plane crash? Wouldn't his nicotine cravings have been gone by then?

#122. Posted by: Michelle at March 29, 2007 5:37 PM

Did anyone catch that when Nikki was standing over Paulo THE CLICKING SOUND HEARD WHEN THE BLACK SMOKE APPEARS WAS APPARENT.

BUT INSTEAD OF THE BLACK SMOKE THE MONSTER TO THE FORM OF ALL THOSE SPIDERS!!!

THE BLACK SMOKE MONSTER CAN TELL WHEN SOMEONE HAS DONE SOMEHTING BAD AND ADJUSTS THERE PUNISHMENT TO FIT THERI CRIME!!!!

#123. Posted by: Mat at March 29, 2007 5:43 PM

Did anyone catch that when Nikki was standing over Paulo THE CLICKING SOUND HEARD WHEN THE BLACK SMOKE APPEARS WAS APPARENT.

BUT INSTEAD OF THE BLACK SMOKE THE MONSTER TOOK THE FORM OF ALL THOSE SPIDERS!!!

THE BLACK SMOKE MONSTER CAN TELL WHEN SOMEONE HAS DONE SOMEHTING BAD AND ADJUSTS THERE PUNISHMENT TO FIT THERI CRIME!!!!

I think we had several important moments, it was not a complete throwaway episode.
1) We learned some of what was happening on the beach while the adventurers were running through the jungle. Most importantly my namesake was being horny and trying to be a suave scientist, impressing the ladies with his mind.
2) Charlie confessed to Sun who then confronted Sawyer. This sets up Sun with some power since Jin would destroy Sawyer in a fair fight.

As for Juliet and Ben in the hobo clothes, wouldn't they have noticed the dirt missing from the cover if they came from outside? Maybe that is why it was harder for Locke's group to open the ? harch when they got to it, it was reinforced.
Why didn't Paolo and Nikki jump in with info of a new hatch? They didn't want to draw attention to themselves while looking for the diamonds. Just like Locke didn't tell anyone what he was doing in the jungle everyday. People ask questions. Why hasn't Kate told anyone about the medical hatch?

@Neal Mindflood: Nikki wanted the gun to threaten/kill Paolo. When she didn't get one, she remembered the spider and went to get it.

#126. Posted by: PiecesofArzt at March 29, 2007 5:51 PM

The writers gave away something when they made Sawyer throw the diamonds back into the grave. As recently as the VW bus episode, Sawyer has been materialistic. There is no good explanation as to why he threw the diamonds back. It was obviously something that needed to be done for some future plot and Sawyer ended up doing it, despite the fact it made almost no sense why he would.

As for the seven deadly sins, not really. Murder seems to be high on the island's don't list. Ana Lucia, Eko, Paulo, and Nikki were all directly involved in killing someone. Hurley's woman was an accident, Shannon and Boone were nasty together. So I'm nt seeing that link.

It does seem to have something to do with being a bad person, but gluttony or greed alone don't seem to do it.

#127. Posted by: Chris at March 29, 2007 5:58 PM

GRAA, mac.
Just one point: Dead people look different than people whose heartrate, etc. has dropped. Dead people loose their color, attract flies very quickly, etc. The makeup was well done, because they did not look dead. You would think that after didgging the grave that someone might have noticed that they still had their color. I enjoyed the epi, I know there are ways to bring them back, but I hope they are gone. I do like Nikki's top though...

#128. Posted by: onelostdude at March 29, 2007 6:22 PM

I think someone did notice that they weren't dead...Vincent! He took their blanket off like he was playing but nobody wanted to play :(

#129. Posted by: PiecesofArzt at March 29, 2007 6:38 PM

Seems to me the every person on the island is one of two types - con artist or con artist victim. If you're one, you're in danger of becoming the other.Is there anyoneon the island who hasn't been conned? (Children don't seem to count)

#130. Posted by: Cara De at March 29, 2007 7:01 PM

@ Cara De
Great call- you're right on with that one...This whole series may turn out to be a long con, pulled on us. I sure hope the writers come up with some wild, over the top explanation!

@ Gatorgal
Happy Birthday to you! When you blow out the candles, I for one hope you use your wish for some more Locke-centric episodes~ Last week was superb!

#131. Posted by: Sillygirl0630 at March 29, 2007 7:27 PM

Mac, I'm having the worst headache ever and as always, your reviews make me laugh and made me forget about the pain. Double thanks!

@ Ransomjackon: You are crazy. LOL. "Now that's a real shame when folks be throwin' away a perfectly good white (girl) like that."

Although this epi wasn't as great as "The Man From Tallahassee", it was stellar to me. It answered a lot of questions from a behind the scenes standpoint. (I'd go into detail but mah head hurts.) One thing that confirmed my suspicions about Ben is that he wanted to be captured. But the "List" still bothers me. I can understand Ben wanting Jack but why "Austin" and "Ford"? So one question answered and another still unanswered.

I'm going back to bed.

#132. Posted by: amelia at March 29, 2007 7:33 PM

Can someone please tell me one logical way that Paulikki can be not dead?
Almost everyone keeps saying that, but I just can't see it.

I'm glad they are dead.
That was very creepy.
Like everyone else, I think this was almost a complete throwaway episode.
I can only think of one thing that advanced the plot, and that was Charlie confessing to Sun.
Other than that....meh...I could do without the episode.

Next week looks like a big cat-fight in the rain.....yummy.

#133. Posted by: Zeppo at March 29, 2007 7:49 PM

I think perhaps this episode was to introduce the spiders that caused Jack's daddy's fake death. And I really hope we've seen the last of Nikki and Paolo!

#134. Posted by: mrsdobalena at March 29, 2007 7:55 PM

Lost is a riddle, wrapped up in a mystery, inside an enigma, shoved into a Babushka, and thrown into a toilet.

#135. Posted by: lostsox at March 29, 2007 8:08 PM

Yes!!! Finally Paulo and Nikki are gone! that made my week. The episode wasn't the best besides their unfortunate demise (yeah right) but could someone clarify for me why Charlie kidnapped Sun? I must have missed something.

Smokey strikes again. But I think in the form of those male spiders. It has to be, just like Eko said. "You're Next"

Razzle Freakin' Dazzle. :)

#136. Posted by: sierramark at March 29, 2007 8:18 PM

I really liked how Arzt didnt conceal his urge to once over Nikki when she walked up in the Victoria Secret's bra.

Kate apparently missed out on "Animal Farm" in school. "The pigs are walking"

To be honest, the whole episode I kept thinking to myself that I really didnt care much about Paulikki. Then to find out they knew about all these things on the island...ESPECIALLY A WALKIE TALKIE..and never said anything, I went from being indifferent towards their characters to just plain annoyed. Surely at some point they turned on the walkie talkie and listened in. Could their whole purpose on the show be to update a late-coming audience? I hate to say it but John's "things don't stay buried on this island" comment has to be foreshadowing.

There was a strange line from Sawyer to Nikki as he closed her dead body's eyes. "Thanks for nothing" he said. What does that mean?

#137. Posted by: kilorooster at March 29, 2007 8:27 PM

This episode was very good filler as opposed to the VW Van episode which was not.
The producers played off these Nikki and Paulo deathes in a comedic fashion. The other characters were practically joking around trying to figure out what happened. It was light hearted with some cool flashback scenes and some extra skin.
I do believe the fans are affecting this show in some ways.
Regardless of how it all ends...enjoy it!

#138. Posted by: T-DOG at March 29, 2007 9:20 PM

Points of interest:
Somewhere out in the world wide web there is a list of the greatest 50 Lost loose ends. One of those points out that there was a lit cancer stick when the Locke-Sayid-Paulo-Nikki crew first visits the observation station. The cig could have been Paulo's, if he had cigarettes. If not, then one of those Others has a nicotine addiction and dipped out when he heard the door being opened. Whose was it?!

The Ben and Juliet scene shows that Ben intentionally got caught in the net. More proof that the crazy French woman was working with Ben. I wonder just how far that tie goes.

Loooooved the buried alive plot twist. Can't wait to see how they bring the Paulikki duo back (cuz they obviously will).

BTW, Mac, you do a great job. As an editor of a mag I appreciate how much effort you must put in. Rock on.

#139. Posted by: KaytieD at March 29, 2007 10:09 PM

Worthless episode. Did not advance the plot nor answer any prior questions other than Paolo's bowel habits. This episode seems to have been written to appease those of you who have been clamoring for Paulikki's demise. Fortunately, I now only watch these episodes on Tivo so at least I can fast forward the commercials.

#140. Posted by: gables79 at March 29, 2007 10:40 PM

Paulikki ain't dead. See, here's how it works:

When they were bitten by the spider, their heart rates go down, which means that they don't need much oxygen, which means that they don't need much breathing, which means they can stay PARALYZED as long as they "want" UNDERGROUND since they are like HIBERNATING!

Second thought, since Nikki opens her eyes first - she need more oxygen first - she probably dies and Paulo gets to live.

#141. Posted by: laodoufu at March 29, 2007 11:12 PM

Artz "The pigs are walking" Isn't this a reference to Lord of the Flies?

@amy....I agree...where the heck are Rose and Bernard? I love them. Rose also has a secret. The island cured her cancer. Why hasn't it cured Ben's? And why don't the others want Rose like they want Locke?

Anyone notice that Sun's hair has grown like TEN inches in eighty days? I looked back at photos from Season 1 and her hair was chin length. Now it looks like she has extensions. It bothers me, because everything else seems to have continuity. random, I know...

#142. Posted by: Kimberly at March 29, 2007 11:51 PM

laodoufu: You beat me to it. I thought I better read ALL the comments before posting the idea I had the moment Paolikki were buried. I also thought that almost no oxygen would be required while in this paralyzation. I mean, we were told that even a trained doctor wouldn't be able to tell if such a poisoned person would be alive. So obviously that person wouldn't be breathing! I think (like someone said earlier) that Sawyer threw those diamonds in with the full intention of going right on back and digging them up. Then one of the four Paolikki arms will come shooting up at him and make me spit my wine on the coffee table.

#143. Posted by: toe at March 30, 2007 12:16 AM

RE: why Rose and Bernard aren't in any crash/beach flashbacks: I believe we haven't seen these characters because the actors are busy filming other things at the moment. I think I even heard/saw mention somewhere that Nikki and Paulo's character's were indeed added to the cast due to the "loss" of Rose and Bernard.

As far as Michael/Walt not appearing in flashbacks (I thought I saw Michael briefly, but maybe not?), I'm not sure why they wouldn't show Michael, but to bring Walt back would be difficult, seeing as how he's most likely grown a foot and his voice is changing...

#144. Posted by: ninjanun at March 30, 2007 12:49 AM

Paulo and Nikki are not dead because Desmond DIDN'T have a flash back about them dying. If they were to die a la suffocation, wouldn't Des "see" it?

The thought crossed my mind that maybe Sawyer knew Nikki in Australia and perhaps was also in on the "con" with Nikki & Paulo... or just Nikki? Maybe he's been pretending not to know them the whole time?

#145. Posted by: Emily at March 30, 2007 12:57 AM

@Emily: Nah. The death (or not) of Paulikki has nothing to do with Des who himself stated, "It doesn't work that way."

#146. Posted by: laodoufu at March 30, 2007 1:32 AM

man there were a lot of murderers on one flight.
L~
ps the BEST line was sawyers "is there a forensic hatch i don't know about" brilliant.

#147. Posted by: Laura at March 30, 2007 1:36 AM

@ Vikki - you asked about dates. I was just calculating that last week. The Rescue Jack event happened the evening of Day 80. So I assume this took place on Day 81.

The plane crashed on September 22, 2004 (which would be Day 1) so it would now be December 11, 2004.

I wonder if the big tsunami of December 26, 2004 will have an effect on the island? Although that was clear over at the western end of Indonesia and impacted the Bay of Bengal area. This island should be far enough to the east to have been effected.

But if the only way to get to the island is by a sonar beacon, maybe the island has a way of moving around. Otherwise you would travel to it by going to its longitude and latitude.

#148. Posted by: Ardie at March 30, 2007 1:48 AM

@killoroster - Sawyer said "Thanks for nothing" as he closed the "dead" Nikki's eyes because those were her last words to him when he refused to give her the gun she asked him for earlier that day.

#149. Posted by: Ardie at March 30, 2007 2:00 AM

Useless shallow note: did anyone see Rodrigo Santoro in GQ magazine? Holy, I didn't realize just how much of a hunk he really was. So then just as I started to care about Paulo, HE DIES.

But I think I'd have to go with laodoufu's comments - there's no way they are dead. My initial idea was that Sawyer is going to dig up the diamonds and they're gonna still be alive. Sawyer isn't going to wait until the next day or anything, because he doesn't want to deal with grossly decomposed bodies, so he may go back even within an hour or two.

#150. Posted by: Emily A at March 30, 2007 2:29 AM

A few thoughts:

1. When Nikki (thinking it's Paulo) reaches into the wreckage and stirs Arzt, Arzt turns round and says, "Are we alive? DO we survive?" I've checked this on Tivo, and just thought it interesting that he sets his second question in the future tense. Of course, having just gone through the shock of a major plane crash I suppose one can be excused of poor grammar.

2. When Nikki finds Paulo, he is staring intently out to sea - shock or has something caught his eye?

3. When Paulo is disturbed by Ben and Juliet, Ben tells Juliet to have the hatch covered up by the plane. Another example of wish fulfilment on the island?

4. It has been suggested the Juliet refers to Jack as something other than Shephard. When he first appears on the screen it sounds as if she asks, "Is that him? Chopper?", but I suspect she actually says 'Shepherd', but with a mouthful of saliva.

5. Now that the Losties have one of the Others' walkie talkies, will they now be making prank calls a la Bart to Moe in the Simpsons:

"Hi, Others' Tavern."

"Can I speak to Mr Dover, first name Ben."

"Ben's surname isn't Dover. It's Linus."

"But... look just say it."

"We've lived on this island for years, surviving Dharma initiatives, smoke monsters, we know all it's secrets. Do you really think we're going to be fooled by a prank phone call? If you need convincing go ask your Mr Rotch, first name Mike."

@ Ardie: just to validate your dates even more, you said the date was Dec. 11, in the episode Nikki says that thanksgiving was 2 days ago. so it makes sense.

#152. Posted by: Claire at March 30, 2007 3:05 AM

I assume no one will read this as there are 1000 posts, but here it is.

I read one person's theory somewhere that when Desmond went back in time he did one thing (butterfly effect) that altered time and the flight, and took Rose and Bernard off the flight and replaced them with Paulikki. Probably far fetched but I like the way it sounds and - Rose and Bernard have not been seen this season, not even in this flashback episode.

Do you remeber when sitcoms would have that one episode, where maybe the family was looking at a photo album, or just talked about things that were funny, and the show would be mainly comprised of funny scenes from prior seasons (always thought of it as a cop out) sometimes they would have a B plot too. Well, LOST really did it well, I mean, the flashbacks got me all giddy, and the actors really did a good job (Locke especially) in acting like they did back then as too now. And the sub plot was well done in a sherlock holmes fashion.

Anyways great Hitchcock-esque plot, and filler. Every season has filler, and the last two episodes were dynomite so they are allowed to do it - especially since they are going week to week til the end.

Great re-cap favorite MACism - "It's George Lucas syndrome: Just because you can superimpose wamprats and banthas and Boba Fett over original footage doesn't mean you should."

#153. Posted by: callaway76 at March 30, 2007 4:31 AM

Sooo, now we know why kate and sawyer came along for the ride to Other Island with Jack. When Paolo was creeping on Ben and Juliet, Ben admitted that he would find Jack's weakness and exploit it. That weakness is his love for Kate. Ben witnessed that Sawyer and Kate's chemistry made Jack rattled during his stay in the hatch. So remember when Jack's prison, hatch door opened without explanation we know that it was an Other, possibly Ben. They knew he'd go down the hall to the viewing area, where he witnessed Sawyer and Kate getting it on. Immediately after seeing that, Jack accepted Ben's offer to attempt the surgery. I think thats a fair prediction???

#154. Posted by: big_ross88@hotmail.com at March 30, 2007 4:42 AM

Well, kudos to the makers of lost for playing and interacting with us, they were a lot of great lines from the characters. Especially from Sawyer but also from Nikki.

Other than that this episode was a filler which put the brakes on the flow of the show. The last three episodes really picked up the pace but it all came to a full stop. We were led to believe that Nikki and Paolo had significance in the story, what is it? Or will they rise from the dead and become important and integral to the story? If Lost continues this way do they hope to still have the same appeal to the audiences 4 (or whatever) seasons down the road? We needed some answers this week but instead we saw an episode that just prolonged the season for the sake of prolonging and achieving the desired amount of episodes. With the same logic we can go on for years as there are many losties that we have not met yet.

People did not like Paolo and Nikki because the creators did not make them useful and involving and now they killed them. In season 2 we had the tailies who were a breath of frsh air and Echo was highly interesting and involving now they are all dead or in the case of Bernard missing. Why is that? It is perfectly normal that some characters may die but why is it always the new faces?

I will keep watching Lost at least until the end of this season, hopefully it will improve and let us hope for an excellend (and hopefully last) 4th season.

So long...

#155. Posted by: itsiph at March 30, 2007 5:46 AM

Did anyone else not think the fact that Artz found 20 new species on the island a bit of a revelation as well?

#156. Posted by: GizmoDX at March 30, 2007 6:52 AM

""""@amy....I agree...where the heck are Rose and Bernard? I love them. Rose also has a secret. The island cured her cancer. Why hasn't it cured Ben's? And why don't the others want Rose like they want Locke?""""""

I never thought about that, why is Ben not interested in Rose? She had incurable cancer that went away. I wish they would come back!!

#157. Posted by: Amy at March 30, 2007 7:18 AM

www.petitiononline.com/losttv07/petition.html

HA! Looks like we are not the only ones who want Rose/Bernard back, or just to know what happened to them!

#158. Posted by: Amy at March 30, 2007 7:23 AM

@ Jon is FOUND - I am thirty nine years old. Sorry to annoy you so much. How old are you?

I found the episode very good. I loved the way they integrated the old with the new. Sawyer's comments were amazingly funny.

Any more ideas on Rose and Bernard? Who said they were filming other movies and unavailable. Wouldn't that mean they were off the show. Seems like they would be killed off then. Perhaps there is a plausible explanation for their absence.

#159. Posted by: meg at March 30, 2007 8:38 AM

@ bcre8ve: Love the Rosenard re-naming!

I'm still thinking of the 7 Deadly Sins. Seems like Charlie is going to die. Could he die for Gluttony given his heroin addiction?

#160. Posted by: DJ Ativanex at March 30, 2007 9:15 AM

@Kimberly: Perhaps because Ben has been on the island his whole life, he has built up an immunity to the island's restorative powers. It will no longer cure him like Locke and Rose have been cured.

I think Sawyer threw the diamonds in the grave in front of everybody to show that he was innocent and that the diamonds don't mean anything to him. It doesn't mean that he won't dig them up again but he's trying to play with the other kids in the sand.

We should assume Rose and Bernard are still there but they haven't got a good reason to step from the background. The last time we saw them Rose talked Bernard out of the SOS rocks so that they could be together. They were both happy and seemingly content with spending their time together. Nikki and Paolo were in the background for 2 seasons before they emerged. Also they haven't been replaced by Desmond because Rose was the person that Boone needed a pen for after the crash and we saw him run into Nikki looking for the pen.

#161. Posted by: PiecesofArzt at March 30, 2007 9:21 AM

@ mac

you're forgetting one of the best 2 quotes.

"Who the hell is Nikki?"

&

"Who the hell is she?"

both from Sawyer. he says the things we're all thinking.

#162. Posted by: sierramark at March 30, 2007 9:25 AM

A thought about the "Anything Box" that Ben referred to in last week's episode. Remember a few weeks back when Ben was talking to Jack and he said something like, "I found out I had spinal cancer, and a few days later a spinal surgeon fell out of the sky."

Perhaps Ben wished for a spinal surgeon from the "Anything Box" and that's what started this whole thing...

#163. Posted by: DJ Ativanex at March 30, 2007 9:31 AM

Soooo....if, to the Losties at first, Ben was Henry Gale and Tom was Zeke, then why didnt Ethan or Goodwin go by other names?

#164. Posted by: Keluha at March 30, 2007 9:52 AM

@lost__me

What's this week's question?

How about hypotheses on what Rose and Bernie been up to?

BTW--thanks for doing the new questions threads--it's been a lot of fun so far

#165. Posted by: Crispy Seaplanes at March 30, 2007 9:58 AM

Toe said,
"I also thought that almost no oxygen would be required while in this paralyzation. I mean, we were told that even a trained doctor wouldn't be able to tell if such a poisoned person would be alive. So obviously that person wouldn't be breathing!"

Yes, maybe in their condition they needed *less* oxygen. But when you are covered with hundreds of pounds of Dharma dirt there is *no* oxygen. If I remember correctly, the human brain can't survive without oxygen for more than a few minutes. So being completely without oxygen = Paolikki DEAD.

I don't remember seeing any Dharma breathing straws poke out of the dirt, so they're history. Even if Sawyer dug them up 1/2 hour later to get the diamonds back, it would be too late.

The more I think about it, the more I think it's a shame. Paolikki wouldn't have been so annoying if they'd become relevant to the Lost story, and I thought this episode would make them much more relevant. Oh well, seems to me the producers are cutting their losses with these 2 characters after such poor fan response.

(You know I'm gonna eat crow when Dr. Daddy Shephard comes strolling out of the jungle holding hands with Paolikki! But I'm okay with that, as long as there's a plausible explanation for how all 3 survived...)

#166. Posted by: JoePike at March 30, 2007 9:58 AM

Regarding Sawyer throwing the diamonds in the grave- Sawyer knows better than anyone at this point what little chance they have of ever getting off the island... he has heard Ben say that the island is impossible to find, and he has already been involved in a failed escape attempt (the raft). Is it possible Sawyer has just resigned himself to the fact that the island is now his permanent residence, and has taken Sun's words to heart (when she said that the diamonds were of no value here)? I doubt he's going to try to dig up the bodies for them, how could he do that without anyone noticing?

And secondly- When Paulo is stashing the diamonds in the Pearl Hatch, and Ben and Juliette come in.... Is this BEFORE or AFTER Ben was captured? He says they are going to use Michael to lure Jack, Kate and Sawyer to them. Do they alerady have Michael in custody at this point? If this is taking place AFTER his capture, then Michael has already freed him and is trying to get the four folks on his list to help him "rescue Walt". If it is BEFORE he was captured, then why/how does he get captured and how does he know that he can use Michael to get to the Foursome?

Also, I noticed someone asked above why they wanted "Austin and Ford" as well as Jack, and it is becuase they use those two to force Jack to agree to do the surgery. Like Sayid said- you don't convince a man by threatening HIM, you convince him by threatening the person with him". (Or something to that effect)

Also, the Beechcraft muct already have crashed to the bottom of the valley at this point, as that happened in Season 1, and the whole Michael/Henry Gale story line happened at the end of season 2. So Ben saying they should cover the hatch door with the plane isn't a "Wish-Fulfillment" thing like people have suggested, becuase it is already downed.

#167. Posted by: sarah c at March 30, 2007 10:02 AM

I don't think it's implausible at all to find that either Paulo, Nikki or both are still alive. The show ended with just a few shovelfulls of dirt thrown on them. Yes, they are covered, but the way it was presented, it wasn't even for a minute was it?
It seems like every couple of years I see in the news how some hole caves in while some workers are doing construction and while it takes a few minutes to dig these people out, they always end up very dirty, thankful and alive.
It wouldn't be a stretch at all for the show to start up again with something triggering a realization and the losties immediately digging Paulo and Nikki back up.
That said, even if they are dead, I would be shocked if we didn't see much more of them in flashbacks or some other form. There were a lot of questions raised about them in this episode and more time could be spent answering those questions. Lots has been said from official channels that those two were put on the show for a reason and I don't think what we've been given so far justifies what we've been told.

#168. Posted by: petew at March 30, 2007 10:24 AM

To Meg,

Personally I applaud your youthful enthusiasm. You just keep on being first. Just so long as you're not celebrating the aniversary of your 39th birthday... ;D

To all,

Nikki and Paolo are dee-ee-dee dead. Nikki said as much while filming her guest spot on Expose. You need further proof? What color was her Victoria's Secret bra? I do believe it was red...red shirt (Star Trek)...red bra...do the math.

#169. Posted by: ransomjackson at March 30, 2007 10:58 AM

@Keluha - Zeke was just a nickname that Sawyer came up with when he said something like "We ain't done Zeke." I didn't see anywhere that he introduced himself as such.

I think Ben came up with his name because he really thought he'd get away with it due to the parachute. Obviously this points to the fact that the "Others" ahve encountered the real Henry Gale. I'd LOVE to see that backstory.

I guess Ethan and Goodwin didn't have any need to make up a name.

#170. Posted by: meg at March 30, 2007 11:01 AM

Ahhh thx Meg...I knew why Ben had made up the HG name, but I had forgotten where 'Zeke' had come from.

#171. Posted by: keluha at March 30, 2007 11:11 AM

@ransomjackson - Thank you for your emotional support during this trying time (sniff). It was with sincere, childish glee that I playfully typed "first" and then giggled. I plan on never losing this aspect of my personality, no matter how people persecute me! :)

@petew - yes, it did seem that they weren't quite 6 feet under, and not much sand was thrown on. I think the possibilty, the question of whether or not they are in fact dead is one that cannot be ignored. Nikki was waking up, so my bet is that if anyone was alive, it's her.

I definitely think there is more to come on these too - probably in flashbacks though.

#172. Posted by: meg at March 30, 2007 11:14 AM

@Ardie....thanks for the date info...if I tried to calculate that myself, I would be lost in translation...

As for Sawyer throwing the diamonds in...if he threw them in because he wants to go back to get them, why would he do this at all if Sun blatantly gave them back to him? To me, this implies that no one else really wants or sees the need to keep them, so Sawyer could have them all to himself without sprinkling them, a la parmesean on top of pizza, over the Paulikki grave...

Also, why can't Vincent dig them up? Or at least dig far enough down into the grave (if he can sense they are still alive...) so that when they do come out of suspended animation, they could dig the rest of the way??? I am not entirely convinced that they are really gone for good...C'mon, stranger things have definitely happened on this little island, right???

#173. Posted by: Vikki at March 30, 2007 11:41 AM

@ petew:
One of the last scenes shows the completed graves with dirt piled some 2 to 3 feet above the beach. Nikki may have blinked when she was starting to be covered, but it took 10-15 minutes to cover them up, just a guess. My guess is that they should be dead, but this island can do some amazing things...

#174. Posted by: onelostdude at March 30, 2007 11:46 AM

Great comments ... Amazing discussion.

Some more thoughts from me:

1. It seems to me that the writers planted a few seeds in EXPOSE that may come back in future episodes: (a) The walkie-talkie, (b) the diamonds. I think it's a little odd that the diamonds ended up in the grave with Nikki & Paulo. I seems as if we'll see those diamonds later. Just a guess ... and I really have no theories.

2. I really think it's important that Mr. Shepard's body (i.e. Jack's father) was missing from the casket. Again, no theories here ... although I do *not* believe Christian Shepard = Jacob or Him. However, I wonder if the writers are going somewhere with the dead bodies. I'm not going to say the words "zombies", "reincarnation" or anything similar, LOL. But it is a curious thing, no? Yes?

3. Just wondering what's in store for the rest of this season. I'm assuming that Jack & Juliet cannot leave, as they were promised, since Locke blew up the submarine. And the preview for next week's episode shows that Juliet and Kate are handcuffed together and on the run -- without Jack. So ... will Jack rejoin the Losties on the beach? And if so, what about the Others? If Henry got rid of his tumor and Jack is done, can he not leave?

#175. Posted by: Matt-DC at March 30, 2007 11:51 AM

this was the worst episode of lost ive ever been witness to. they had better write themselves out of this jump the shark momment quickly.so disappointed

#176. Posted by: Jim at March 30, 2007 11:54 AM

Well, personally, I liked the episode - I kept saying "aha!" when something was revealed that we'd been commenting on here - like Paolo's bathroom time. Besides, there were many funny lines.

This also explained why Paolo so strangely pulled Nikki away from volunteering with the rescue team; he knew it was a plot.

@davidrh That was hilarious; you have some talents a la Mac.

@Jon I thought that Paolo might not have wakened before Nikki because he may have been bitten again or more than once when all the male spiders showed up.

#177. Posted by: Kristine at March 30, 2007 12:12 PM

The writers achieved exactly what they wanted with this episode. First they threw out Nikkiâ€™s early comment regarding guest stars being offed. Then they followed immediately with Howieâ€™s assurance that almost nothing is beyond possibility for the production team â€¦ so long as the story bears even the slightest bit of credibility. They are asserting their authority over the audience here, in spades.

The question is of course whether or not Nikki and Paolo could conceivably survive their burial. The answer is yes; whether probable or not, they left the door of possibility open just enough to keep viewers completely clueless as to the outcome. Some say thereâ€™s zero oxygen under a few feet of sand, so therefore they must be dead. However, this is not true. No one went over the grave site with a vibrating tamper to force the sand into all the little nooks and crannies surrounding their bodies, nor to compress it down on them to the point of suffocation. Yes, they would be immobile, but under only a couple feet of sand (check the scene) they could most certainly still breath, and there would be enough residual air surrounding them to last for more than a few shallow breaths until someone (Sawyer, Vincent, ?) digs them up.

Second, they could last in this state for quite a while given their depressed respiratory states. The Medusa spider may not exist, but pufferfish-based tetrodotoxin, ala â€œThe Serpent and the Rainbow,â€ most certainly does. I have to believe this was the inspiration for the plot, and true â€œzombiesâ€ buried alive have almost no pulse or respiration, allowing them to survive long enough to dug back up and â€œraised from the dead.â€ Again, you can argue the likelihood of survival as low, but you cannot conclusively proclaim them to be dead. Exactly what the writers wanted.

No matter what happens now, the writers win. If N/P are dead, then they will have thrown a loop to all the viewers who think theyâ€™ve figured it out. If N/P are alive, they can drag out just enough science to legitimize it, and once again irritate those viewers who swear they couldnâ€™t possibly survive.

Make no mistake. This issue was left intentionally ambiguous by the writers, specifically to induce this kind of debate, but ultimately to show the fans who really yields the power.

#178. Posted by: ealgumby at March 30, 2007 12:23 PM

Dudes, all this speculation about whether Paulo & Nikki are dead is all rather silly when you consider that the whole show starts with the premise that an airliner that breaks apart in midair can crash land on an island, remain in two large pieces AND have a large number of survivors wander out of the wreckage. That's sheer fantasy; there'd be nothing bigger than a breadbox left, including human remains.

After that, there is the exploding imploding hatch, time travel, miraculous healing, the smoke monster, the fact that nothing can find this island (not even GPS?!), etc, etc, etc.

We suspend disbelief about that stuff and get on with the show, but make no mistake, Paulo & Nikki will rise again if the writers wish them to do so. Rest assured that they are not bound by all your painstaking analysis regarding how deep they were buried, how much oxygen they need and how much strength they would have X hours after the initial spider bite. Instead, they'll just spin something out of whole cloth. It's called deus ex machina.

#179. Posted by: Darryl at March 30, 2007 12:23 PM

I couldn't disagree more:

"Yes, they would be immobile, but under only a couple feet of sand (check the scene) they could most certainly still breath, and there would be enough residual air surrounding them to last for more than a few shallow breaths until someone (Sawyer, Vincent, ?) digs them up."

More than just a couple feet of sand...but regardless of that, any 'breath' they tried to take would result in the sucking in dirt. What you're saying just isn't feasible.

However, I do agree with your next statement that it is possible the writers will figure out some *legitimate* (in their eyes) way for Paolikki to still be alive.

And thanks Darryl, for putting all of this discussion into perspective!!!

#180. Posted by: JoePike at March 30, 2007 12:52 PM

I think the question of the week should be are Nikki and Paulo dead.

I don't think the show will have them die. In real life there isn't much of a chance they could be alive. But this is TV. The writers will come up with a reasonable answer to how they make it out of their graves. Some will not like this, other will, and some will not care either way.

#181. Posted by: michael at March 30, 2007 2:51 PM

Along with the question if Nikki and Paulo are dead we could put forth our ideal of how they make it out of the grave.

#182. Posted by: michael at March 30, 2007 2:56 PM

Ok: *****SPOILERS*****

http://tinyurl.com/3aullf

Read the summary, or listen to the podcast.
- There is a short Elizabeth Mitchell interview. Nothing definitive. EM says she believes the aloe scene made Juliet ashamed of being one of them.
- CC met the two writers on the WB show Black Sash.
- They call the background characters "socks".
- RE: Pikki death. The writers felt there was "no other way for them to learn their lesson".
- Originally, they wanted to do an entire episode of the Expose` show, then have the reveal at the end that it was a show within a show.
- Adam Horowitz has a mancrush on Billy Dee Williams. Cute story about how they got him to do the part.
- Biggest thing, IMO ... the monster makes its return in Left Behind.
- The guy falling from a window in Numbers was NOT Locke.
- Christmas may be celebrated in Season 4.
- Rose and Bernard have an "awesome" storyline coming up. (me- tptb now scare me to death when they describe things with superlatives )
- The idea that Locke was suggesting to Ben that he was not healing because he was doing things like eating refrigerated chicken, is sort of correct.

#183. Posted by: Zeppo at March 30, 2007 3:19 PM

first

#184. Posted by: rich at March 30, 2007 3:36 PM

@ onelostdude:
I agree with you that one of the last scenes shows the completed graves with dirt piled 2 to 3 feet high. So they should be dead, but as you said, the island can do some amazing things...
how about this scenario--the losties come back to the graves, only to find them empty--Paulo and Nikki have disappeared, ala Christian Shepherd?
great review as always mac!

#185. Posted by: ct at March 30, 2007 4:21 PM

I guess Nikki is not an Ana Lucia Academy for Aquiring Guns from Sawyer graduate, huh?

#186. Posted by: bcre8ve at March 30, 2007 4:30 PM

@kilorooster "There was a strange line from Sawyer to Nikki as he closed her dead body's eyes. "Thanks for nothing" he said. What does that mean?"

I think that it was two-fold:

1) A reference to their early morning interaction

2) Another Sawyer speaking for the fans statement similar to the "Who are you" line of questions.

#187. Posted by: bcre8ve at March 30, 2007 4:33 PM

@Darryl "Dudes, all this speculation about whether Paulo & Nikki are dead is all rather silly when you consider that the whole show starts with the premise that an airliner that breaks apart in midair can crash land on an island..."

Hear, hear, I agree. But the discussion is fun, so we discuss.

#188. Posted by: bcre8ve at March 30, 2007 4:35 PM

RE: Discussion questions of the week (and week to follow) My vote:

How will Paulikki emerge from the grave?

What have Rosenard been doing all of this time?

#189. Posted by: bcre8ve at March 30, 2007 4:37 PM

Last?

#190. Posted by: bcre8ve at March 30, 2007 4:39 PM

Last! -- mac ;)

#191. Posted by: mac at March 30, 2007 4:41 PM

@ rich > first

Brilliant, rich!

Uh, Last?

#192. Posted by: ButchM at March 30, 2007 4:41 PM

ok here goes:
Evil mad scientist Ben with eyes bulging wickedly and twirling his Snidely Whiplash mustache digs up the dead Nikki and Paolo, rearranges their various body parts and sewing them together(keeping the best of each person i.e. Nikki's torso so she can still wear her Victoria's Secret) and thus trying to make them into "one of the good ones". Unfortunately his plan goes awry when he accidentally misplaces the brains. He dreams up Paris Hilton and the American Tom Cruise out of his magic box thinking a combination of their brains will make a suitable replacement. Thus the Linusstein monster is born to terrorize the islanders looking for chihuahuas and trying to convert everyone to scientology. When the monster berates Claire for having post partum depression, Charlie gets medieval on it and both of them die in a glorious fiery blaze in a Losteria Lane windmill. Desmond is so amused by the sight he just allows it to transpire.

#193. Posted by: Crispy Seaplanes at March 30, 2007 4:50 PM

@Crispy Seaplanes - I love it!

Interesting Ben/chihuahua connection. Hmmm...

#194. Posted by: bcre8ve at March 30, 2007 5:26 PM

I've been laughing non-stop reading some of these quotes because my comment about the Victoria's Secret 'Secret Embrace' bra has stuck already! LOL.

So why not bring it to another and obvious level: Vikkitoria's Secret 'Secret Embrace' bra!!

Brilliant!!

#195. Posted by: Red...Neck...Man at March 30, 2007 5:40 PM

People have been commenting on the timing of when Ben and Juliet are in the Hatch talking about taking Jack. Was it before or after they had Michael and so on.

Here is what I think.

They started observing the losties and caught Michael when he was alone and made him head for who he though was Walt on the computer. With the intentions of sending him back to get the others in exchange for his son back. While Michael was on his cross island journey. Ben realized it might be a little harder to convince Jack then he though, so he got himself caught to learn more about the lostie. He did learn many things while he was there they tore him apart, I don't think he was expecting them to think he was lying about the Henry Gale cover. I mean they had met Russo and did not keep her held captive in a hatch.

I also continue to believe that Russo is an ex Other/Darhma and knows Ben and company, but is not one of them anymore and what she gave up when she left was her daughter. Ben knew where she lived and knew she had the nets, the rest is history.

Just some thougth on how the Losties are smarter then the Others thought at first.

#196. Posted by: Dakota at March 30, 2007 5:41 PM

Now the line's getting blurred....are you talking about her or me, Red...Neck...Man?

:)

#197. Posted by: Vikki at March 30, 2007 7:18 PM

Time on Lost is coming into play more and more now. In last weeks TMFT the clock in Bens house had a different time in each scene. In this past episode Lostpedia has a shot of the newspaper that Paulo was reading in the airport and it is dated 2 days after the crash. Very strange need to do another time line.

#198. Posted by: Dakota at March 30, 2007 9:11 PM

Guys,
If any of you have Tivo, did you notice how many diamonds were in that baggie? Maybe it is one of these cursed number the plot revolves around. i know it's not that important, but wouldn't it be cool if it was 8,15,16,23,or 42?

#199. Posted by: Mr. Cube at March 30, 2007 9:33 PM

Maybe Sawyer's line to Nikki - Thanks for nothing - is refering to the fact that on the island the diamonds are worthless.

I don't remember if he had them at the time he made the comment.

#200. Posted by: Bill at March 30, 2007 10:15 PM

Once again, regarding Rose and Bernard (and Libby):

This from the "Approaching Lost" blog:

Rose and Bernard are Safe
By Nikki | Related entries in Lost Spoilers

According to the latest Chat with Kristin:

Theyâ€™re buzzing around in the background minding their own business! According to Damon Lindelof, â€œA lot of times the fans ask us why we havenâ€™t seen more of Rose and Bernard, or when we are going to sum up Libby, and the reality is those actors are fantastic and so theyâ€™re off doing other shows. Itâ€™s sort of a constantly moving puzzle piece for us. You have to commit so far out front, but we donâ€™t want to prevent anybody from getting work.â€ So, there you have it. Rose and Bernard are safe and soundâ€¦Well, as long as Locke keeps himself from hitting any more buttons!

And in response to whoever wondered why Ben wasn't interested in Rose being cured of cancer: From all *outside* observances, she looks the same as before the crash, so as far as Ben knows, she's NOT cured; unlike Locke, who was clearly paralyzed by all eye-witness (and medical) accounts and is now clearly NOT paralyzed.

#201. Posted by: ninjanun at March 30, 2007 10:44 PM

Right before the spiders came to bite nikki...i dont no if this was mentoined..but i def heard the smoke monster sound..ANY ONE AGREE

#202. Posted by: Evan at March 30, 2007 10:53 PM

Right before the spiders came to bite nikki...i dont no if this was mentoined..but i def heard the smoke monster sound..ANY ONE AGREE

#203. Posted by: Evan at March 30, 2007 10:53 PM

Let the sleeping dead lie. they are never going to wake up. I did eat my shorts, break the tv and never watch lost again(there's a limit to how much lie a man can consume in the spirit of entertainment). this is not kill-bill at least there she was in a coffin and had some air to breath. in paulikke's case no coffin and it would take some time before the total paralyses wayne of enough for the kind of strenth needed to dig ur way out of a 5 foot grave. RIP Paulikke.

#204. Posted by: David Lost at March 30, 2007 11:12 PM

At least one mystery was solved this week. Remember when Patchy was talking to the Losties and said, "... the John Locke I knew was Pa..." and Rousseau interrupted? We now know that he was going to say, "... the John Locke I knew was Paulo lies"

#205. Posted by: bcre8ve at March 31, 2007 2:21 AM

I'm sorry but this episode STUNK! Are the writers now just going to fish minor characters out of the background, create "intiguing backstories" for them, green screen and overdub them into the storyline and expect us to buy it? No way! This episode did nothing but stretch out the entire story to extend into the recently signed for fourth season. Diversions and trinkets such as this episode are almost as bad as repeats. This leads to the question, should I even bother staying up late on Wednesdays anymore? How sad, our show & story has jumped the shark and is now suffering Scully/Mulder-itis. What else is on?

#206. Posted by: maurice at March 31, 2007 6:07 AM

I watched the episode again last night and was reminded of a few questions that came to mind:

1) Why was Boone looking for a pen when the plane went down? A little odd, don't ya THINK?

2)When Paolo dives in to check and see if the bag is there, he simply goes under once and the pond is huge. As a diver, I know visibility isn't that good. Is Nikki that stupid?

When the plane crashed Rose was not breathing and Boone was trying (in a spazzy, I'm-freaking-out-way-too-much-to do-any-real-good sort of way) to help her. Jack came over to help and Boone suggested that she needed the "pen in the throat thing" to help her breathe. Jack, in an effort to rid him of his hysteria driven side kick, agreed and sent him on a quest to find the holy pen thus resulting in above said inquiry.

2)When Paolo dives in to check and see if the bag is there, he simply goes under once and the pond is huge. As a diver, I know visibility isn't that good. Is Nikki that stupid?

Yes

3) Great line - When Hugo says, "What exactly is a perimeter sweep?

Agreed! ha! A little unbelievable though. Any true fan of Expose the series would know what a perimeter sweep is.

5) Why did Juliet and Ben want Ford and Austen too? She specifically said that to Ben in the Pearl Hatch.

She was refering to Kate (Austen) and Sawyer (Ford). Kate is Jack's emotional tie. Ben used the Sawyer-Kate-Jack love triangle (A famous geometrical water anomaly second in poplularity only to the Burmuda triangle) to motivate Jack to remove his tumor.

6) Why would Paolo, a Brazilian, care about Thanksgiving?

He was very hungry (oh, and he wanted Nikki to dress up in the little pilgrim's costume he had picked up for her)

7)When Sawyer said, "Thanks for nothing" at Nikki's buriel it was in response to the last words she said to him - the same thing. Maybe he wishes he'd given her the gun so he feels guilt.

Actually he was hoping she would be back to ask for the gun Ana Lucia style and now that she was gone...

#208. Posted by: bcre8ve at March 31, 2007 10:13 AM

Sorry I am french, I will try to write correct english

- Locke's dad is the guy who made sawyer's father suicide. All characters have a link in the past to eachother.
Jack is claire's brother...now why have they ve been led to the island? It cannot be just an accident can it?

- What about the others losties we never see, are they also linked? remember the black women who had cancer and cured on the island...

- Miracles everywhere, why?

- All main lostie made bad things in the past(sins) (muder, incest, torture, abandon baby, steal, lies...) Still we like them and they seem nice persons. They all had really bad childhood.

- now locke and rousseau are the names of phylosophs in uk and france. rousseau wrote some theory about miracles. Locke about enthropology

- how about the list of Jacob? Who is he (I would trust he is penny's father)

- Is the island giving them a second chance in their life? Are the others there also for this second chance? remember Juliet's exhuband was killed by a car and that she felt guilty for that. Just after that, she decided to go to the island with dharma

- Is locke 's father given a second chance towards his son?

- Ben is Alex's dad, he was then with rousseau in the past. Why is she alone now? Is ben's daughter his second chance? Ben my be the head of the community, the big boss is another person, who I believe is outside the island, sending all the info/instruction about the survivors...
If Ben was born on the island, who are the parents??? I guess Ben's past is the key.

- Now why is not Alex trying to escape and meeting her boyfriend? Where is he? Why did they try to brainwash him. Is he on the way to rescue Alex, Jack, kate and Sayid? Why does Alex hates her dad? why did she help claire escape the hospital?

- I agree with the fact that the sub it not the other way of leaving. There is the boat that jack and the others took and there is the boat(same one?) that took Mickael away. How about the sailing boat. (where is it by the way?)

- Locke did not destroy the sub for sure. Now why had he always hidden the fact that the island saved his legs to the losties? Why is he so secret. Why does the black women not tell the others about her cure, same for Sun not telling that her husband could not have children. If the island is helping everyone, they should share their hopes. Why is everyone telling lies?

- I believe they are all feeling this island is giving them a second chance.
Do they really want leave? Same for the others, do they really want to leave?

- Now you put prisonners or dying people or crazy people (hurley) on an island. You give them the chance to forget the past and rebuild something good, cure...will they accept it? or will they destroy their chances? will they go worse? could be the whole dharma project. Study human's nature.

- Do they really die on the island (boon, his sister, eko, jack's dad...)?

- Is god giving a second chance to the humans to choose the good path.

- Is the monster the evil side of us?
taking eko's life?

- If god has nothing to do,then what influence would magnetism have on the people's brain?

#209. Posted by: helene at March 31, 2007 10:43 AM

@Chris

re: Sawyer and the diamonds

He did not throw the diamonds for no reason - he did this to cover his ass. Don't forget what kind of a person the rest of the beach crew think he is - he has always been the guy who hoarded everything, and has been willing to do anything to control island items.

He realizes that if he holds onto the diamonds, people will continue to believe that he killed Paulikki for them.

Also - Sawyer is now aware that Sun knows what he did to her so he could secure the guns. He gives her the diamonds to prove that he would not kill for them.

With all Sawyer has experienced and seen, I think he realizes that the liklihood of getting off the island is slim, and hence the diamonds are more trouble (because of what people would think of him) than they would be worth.

With that said - who knows - maybe Sawyer will sneak over to the grave at night, and dig them up? Maybe someone else will?

re: the Cobra

Gotta wonder if this is foreshadowing. Will someone from the crash survivers turn out to be Jacob? My money is on Locke (though he is clearly not aware of it for whatever reason).

Razzle Dazzle!

#210. Posted by: shikotee at March 31, 2007 12:04 PM

Hey, I was just wondering...
Did Ben steal Rousseau's daughter? Or is he related to her by blood as well?
I couldn't remember and it occurred to me upon the question of Ben intentionally stepping into the trap.

#211. Posted by: Just Wondering... at March 31, 2007 1:44 PM

Just realised that Sawyer probably *didn't* throw the diamonds in - more likely is that he broke up a glass bottle or whatever and threw the glass chips in.

#212. Posted by: Danny at March 31, 2007 3:01 PM

Actually I liked the later episodes of the X-Files.

Robert Patrick's a damned good actor.

But uberfans of some shows get proprietary and pick apart what doesn't match their internal visions.

In the case of Lost, there are viewers who don't enjoy the "lesser" entertainment and humor aspects of the show. They want the most brilliant storyline ever constructed, every single frame.

Well, that's mighty hard to pull off, I'm just sayin'.

There are times the show is silly. During those occasional scenes I appreciate the little touches, the humor, the writer/staff willingness to be ridiculous.

But I feel they've steered the Not Yet Bigger Boat pretty well.

My only gripe concerns Eko's death. But that was likely a casting thing beyond writer control.

#213. Posted by: snow at March 31, 2007 5:56 PM

I thought that the dog may have know they were alive, since the dog pulled the blanket off of them. Didn't anyone think that part was strange? I always enjoy your write-up on the show. Keep up the good work!!

#214. Posted by: Nance at March 31, 2007 9:09 PM

this episode didnt advance the story further, another backstory to delay everything so the writers can work out what the hells going on

#215. Posted by: adam at April 1, 2007 4:23 AM

JACOB also called israel IN THE BIBLE HAS A SON CALLED BENJAMIN
HE WAS SAID TO BE HIS RIGHT SHOULDER (good)

in JJ Abraams : there is Jacob in the middle
So here is my guess, Ben is Jacob's son, he has been sent to the island to found a communitee and give people a second chance in their life far away from insane civilization, corruption...

#216. Posted by: JACOB at April 1, 2007 5:25 AM

Two hundred seventeenth?? :)

@ becre8ve - Thanks for addressing my questions. I guess I missed the ones that addressed the pen!

#217. Posted by: meg at April 1, 2007 10:19 AM

Hi everyone -- I made a tweak to the commenting system so that my posts show up in a slightly different color. I'm not entirely sure what use this serves, but it's in there. If you find it annoying let me know and I can change it back.

Incidentally, I'm looking for other ways to organize the comments (for some strange reason there doesn't appear to be an easy way to number them -- I have no idea why something so simple is so hard to do). -- mac

#218. Posted by: mac at April 1, 2007 3:01 PM

@mac
Must be a mighty slight change in color, or not in effect yet

#219. Posted by: mtncbn at April 1, 2007 4:35 PM

$8Million in diamonds?? I am not a diamond expert, but my generous guess is that those rocks may have averaged about 2 carats. I checked the price of top grade diamonds and found a price of $6,000 to $20,000 for a 2 carat stone. So --- if you figure $15,000 apiece on average (retail, not wholesale), you need 533 diamonds to make 8 Mil. I think their mark shortchanged them!

#220. Posted by: mtncbn at April 1, 2007 5:04 PM

Yeah, I think Hott Nikki was overeager regarding the diamond value. That could have been intentional on the writers' part. Didn't look like more than 20 or 30 diamonds there.

Nikki and Paulo may have been good at hiding their intentions but they weren't very smart people.

#221. Posted by: snow at April 1, 2007 5:15 PM

Continuity problem?
1) Paulo enters the Perl station through the hatch he and Nikki found to hide the diamonds. This HAS to pre-date episode "Deus Ex Machina" which is when the Beechcraft with Boone onboard falls and covers the hatch to the Perl Station.

2) While Paulo is hiding the diamonds, Ben and Juliet arrive, and observe Jack sitting in a chair in the original hatch via one of the monitors.

BUT... Locke does not open the hatch, and none of the survivors, including Jack, ever enter the hatch until AFTER episode 19 when the Beechcraft falls onto the entrance to the Perl station.

So... how could Ben and Juliet ever see Jack via the monitor at a time pre-dating episode 16 of season one when the Beechcraft falls, when Jack never enters the hatch until episode 26 of season 2 "Adrift"?

#222. Posted by: Alan at April 2, 2007 1:43 AM

Great review, Mac, as always! I would tend to disagree with one bit, though: it wasn't a Twilight Zone moment, but a Tales from the Crypt moment!

#223. Posted by: Cesco at April 2, 2007 6:28 AM

Great review, Mac, as always! I would tend to disagree with one bit, though: it wasn't a Twilight Zone moment, but a Tales from the Crypt moment!

#224. Posted by: Cesco at April 2, 2007 6:32 AM

Alan
We need a timeline chart of events on the island.
Somebody had mentioned that the plane had fallen after N&P discovery of the Pearl and before P had hid the diamonds

#225. Posted by: btly at April 2, 2007 9:16 AM

@Mac-

Yes, your comments are in pale yellow, while our's are in pale blue.

Good luck in the Hugo Cup, although you certainly don't need luck...the site and your fan base speak for themselves.

#226. Posted by: Sillygirl0630 at April 2, 2007 11:01 AM

6) Why would Paolo, a Brazilian, care about Thanksgiving?

While Paolo is Brazilian, he speaks English very well and probably lived in America for some time. As a foreigner myself, I can tell you that it doesn't take long to adopt the customs of the country you are living in.

@Mac, if posts can't be numbered, perhaps there is a way to bookmark the last post you read. (Although if there is such a way, I haven't found it yet!)

#227. Posted by: SOUPDRAGON at April 2, 2007 11:12 AM

@SOUPDRAGON "perhaps there is a way to bookmark the last post you read."

I just go by the date and time at the bottom of each entry. I remmeber the last one I read and go to it the next time I log in. Not the best way, but it works.

#228. Posted by: bcre8ve at April 2, 2007 11:23 AM

PEARL TIMELINE
thanks to tviv(dot)org

----------
Summary (if you don't want to read the incredible long entry below): The Swan hatch is opened 4 days before Paulo enters the Pearl and sees Ben and Juliet. The plane falls 8 days before Paulo enters the Pearl.
----------

Day 50 11/10/2004 (2x10 - The 23rd Psalm) Eko recognizes the Virgin Mary statue Charlie has and smashes it in front of Claire, revealing the heroin. He then forces Charlie on a hike through the jungle looking for the plane. Michael continues to secretly talk on the computer with the person claiming to be Walt. Eko and Charlie find the plane that has Eko's brother's corpse in it. Eko turns the plane into a funeral pyre.

Day 58 11/18/2004 (2x14 - Henry Gale is captured and taken to the Swan.

Day 61 11/21/2004 (2x17 - Lockdown) Locke and Henry Gale become trapped in the bunker after a the blast doors suddenly close, and they have to work together. Locke's leg becomes injured when it gets pinned by a blast door. After something happens with the timer, blue lights come on in the lounge and a map with notes on it appears on the blast door pinning Locke's leg. Then the lockdown ends and the blast doors retract. (This is when Locke sees the ? on the map which later he finds is the Pearl)

Day 64 11/24/2004 (2x21 - ?) Eko arrives at the bunker and recruits Locke to track Henry Gale down. They go into the jungle and Eko gets Locke to show him the map he transcribed from the blast door. They camp at the crash of Yemi's plane.

Day 65 11/25/2004 (2x21 - ?) Locke has a dream in which he is Eko and climbs up to where the plane was perched. Eko climbs up and sees what appears to be a ? of bare earth in the clearing. Locke and Eko find a new bunker, Station 5, The Pearl and a video suggesting that the Swan's button-pushing exercise is just a meaningless psychological experiment. Locke puts his map in the Pearl's pneumatic tube.

Day 67 11/27/2004 (2x23 - Live Together, Die Alone) Michael leads Jack and everyone to a large clearing that has the exit from the Pearl's vaccuum tube. Hundreds, if not thousands of unopened messsage tubes litter the ground. Sawyer finds and gives Locke's map to Jack.

@Sillygirl0630 "@mac Yes, your comments are in pale yellow, while our's are in pale blue."

What browser are you using? I am using IE 6 and I see no difference.

#230. Posted by: bcre8ve at April 2, 2007 11:57 AM

***** SPOILERS *****
I guess this counts as sort of a hint of a spoiler...

Kiele Sanches on Jimmy Kimmel
http://tinyurl.com/3d3e7c

Can't tell if she is just stringing us along or serious, but it's a funny interview.

#231. Posted by: Darryl Whitmore at April 2, 2007 12:05 PM

The color of mac's posts vs others is distinct in Safari--maybe because its a Mac browser....

#232. Posted by: ct at April 2, 2007 1:02 PM

So....I don't suppose we all could have our own colors? I'd like a medium rose with perhaps a brushed texture burnt sienna border . . .

Obviously, we have nothing new to talk about concerning this episode . . .

Enjoy your work week after week, Mac------. Keep up the good word.
Looking forward to Thursday.

DRH

#233. Posted by: davdrh at April 2, 2007 1:47 PM

With my screen, it depends how I tilt it. Straight up and down I see no difference in the colors, but if I tilt it back some it's there.

Yes, hurry up Wednesday!!

#234. Posted by: meg at April 2, 2007 1:51 PM

I'm shocked. Having read all of the posts (okay, not really, but I read a lot of them, and my "Find (on This Page)" function did the rest), I can't believe nobody mentioned "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead."

Hello?

Two minor characters, wandering in and out of the main story to little or no effect? Who only exist to serve another story, and not their own?

The "Lost" crew apparently has "Hamlet" sized ambitions. I thought it was a brilliant use of these characters, and I hope they do it again next season with "Girl Eating Coconut" and "Man Who Wanders Beach Behind Central Castaways."

#235. Posted by: Chadder at April 2, 2007 2:20 PM

--Chadder
Good call on the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Looking at it that way makes me appreciate the episode even more than I already did.

Oh and I call dibs on chartreuse!

#236. Posted by: Crispy Seaplanes at April 2, 2007 3:17 PM

@mac
regarding bookmarking and such. Maybe you could add a post number (p#213) on the posted by at time line. Then users could keep track of the last one read, and do a find on page for the 'p#xxx'

#237. Posted by: mtncbn at April 2, 2007 4:27 PM

So, Paulo's entry to the Perl station is after the Beechcraft falls on the hatch.

We have to assume then that Paulo single handedly moves the plane off the hatch.

Despite the fact that in episode #45 "?", it takes both Locke and Eko to move the plane off of the hatch (unless my memory fails me)...

#238. Posted by: Alan at April 2, 2007 4:36 PM

Surely the issue of the differing timelines MUST be the whole point of this episode! There's been so much conjecture that Nikki and Paulo were the result of a change in the past that this inconsistanct must be a symptom of that change.

Analysing this, if the plane is still in the tree when Paulo hides in the toilet, then the event we were previously shown when the plane fell has been wiped out.

If the plane did not fall when we were previously shown then Boone did not die as we were previously shown! Although it's possible he is now alive again, my guess is that the universe would pretty quickly 'course correct' itself, and Locke would cause Boone's death in some other way - he has to cause Boone's death so that he can go hammer on the hatch in dispair.

From that point, the Other's could move the plane over the hatch as Ben instructed, and events would progress as we saw them: Charlie would find the heroin, Eko would find his brother, and Eko and Locke's dreams would lead them to find the Pearl.

#239. Posted by: Danny at April 2, 2007 4:44 PM

Damn my spelling is bad!

para 1 *inconsistancy

para 3 *despair

para 4 *Others

#240. Posted by: Danny at April 2, 2007 4:49 PM

Alternatively, and far more rationally, as Alan says above, Paulo either moved the already fallen plane off the hatch, or else the plane didn't actually fall on the hatch to begin with - it may have been moved there only later by the Others.

I never could do lateral thinking ;-)

#241. Posted by: Danny at April 2, 2007 4:56 PM

I admit that I have neither the time nor the patience to figure out the timeline thing, but I am hoping some regulars will. I thought that they found that hatch long before the airplane was moved, and that Paolo simply went back later to hide the diamonds after the plane was moved. Obviously I missed something, or is the timeline obviously wrong? That would be awesome.

#242. Posted by: meg at April 2, 2007 5:12 PM

Or, I just thought of this...perhaps Nikki and Paolo are replacing Shannon and Boone. Remember that scene at the airport when Shannon was complaining that Boone just lost them seats in first class. Maybe they never took the flight because of this and instead Nikki and Paolo, obviously feeling very wealthy indeed splurged on seats in first class. Thus taking them from Shannon and Boone. Any ideas?

#243. Posted by: meg at April 2, 2007 5:15 PM

Or, I just thought of this...perhaps Nikki and Paolo are replacing Shannon and Boone. Remember that scene at the airport when Shannon was complaining that Boone just lost them seats in first class. Maybe they never took the flight because of this and instead Nikki and Paolo, obviously feeling very wealthy indeed splurged on seats in first class. Thus taking them from Shannon and Boone. Any ideas?

The only problems with this Shannon and Boone were both on the beach after the plane chash. Shannon is standing there screaming and Boone is asking people for the unneeded pen Jack sent him after. later Artz is running through camp asking Boone took the water.

#244. Posted by: michael at April 2, 2007 5:20 PM

Or, I just thought of this...perhaps Nikki and Paolo are replacing Shannon and Boone. Remember that scene at the airport when Shannon was complaining that Boone just lost them seats in first class. Maybe they never took the flight because of this and instead Nikki and Paolo, obviously feeling very wealthy indeed splurged on seats in first class. Thus taking them from Shannon and Boone. Any ideas?

The only problem with this is Shannon and Boone were both on the beach after the plane chash. Shannon is standing there screaming and Boone is asking people for the unneeded pen Jack sent him after. Later Artz is running through the camp saying Boone took the water.

#245. Posted by: michael at April 2, 2007 5:22 PM

Duh! I'm not good with these things! Great theory though - like swiss cheese. Would've been cool though. I love the time travel stuff.

#246. Posted by: meg at April 2, 2007 5:30 PM

@ Danny

The 1st time Paulo sees the hatch (the Pearl Station) is with Nikki while the Beachcraft was still perched on the cliff. This was pre-Boone & Locke discovery of the plane.

The 2nd time Paulo visits the Pearl Station he enters to hide diamonds in the toilet. During this time, we see Ben and Juliet viewing Jack at the Swan Station. This timeline indicates that the Losties had already entered the Swan and Boone had already died.

The 3rd time Paulo enters the Pearl is when he volunteers to go with Locke, Sayid and Nikki. At this time, he removes the diamonds from the toilet. They also discover the Flame Station where Mr. Patchy aka Mikail was stationed.

So..no course correction.

#247. Posted by: amelia at April 2, 2007 7:04 PM

Re: the light blue and light yellow colors, GREAT - now that I can see.
angled lcd monitor, very little help but could see that there was really a difference. Adjusted brightness, contrast, etc on lcd, very little help. Adjusted brightness, and contrast on adapter card, helped some, but couldn't see the scroll bar. Backed off contrast some, and can see the difference in color plainly, and the scroll bar better than ever.
'I can see clearly now'
Maybe I shoulda got a Mac, mac
Lost should be clearer now, as I always rewatch it on the PC.
Off subject I know, but you started it!

#248. Posted by: mtncbn at April 2, 2007 9:46 PM

The timeline should work. When the plane falls with Boone in it, it does not land on the Pearl hatch doors.

When Ben & Juliet are in the Pearl and Paulo is evesdropping, Ben says to have Tom cover the hatch with the plane. Which means the plane must be moved from the ground where it fell to cover the hatch door.

The timeline posted above shows the days that these events take place:

Day 65 11/25/2004 (2x21 - ?) Eko climbs up and sees what appears to be a ? of bare earth in the clearing. Locke and Eko find a new bunker, Station 5, The Pearl.

This doesn't explain why Locke and Boone never noticed the Pearl hatch on day 41 when Nikki and Paulo had easily found (and opened) it on day 24. Had the Others buried it during those 17 days? If it was so close to the beechcraft they should have noticed it like N/P did.

How did the giant '?' appear on the Pearl entrance that Eko saw from the cliff on day 65? Locke says salt was put on the dirt to make the '?' so that vegetation doesn't grow where it's salted. They also dug through the dirt with Eko's axe before they hit the Pearl entrance doors.

I'd guess that the Others put extra dirt over the hatch when Tom moved the plane. But why did the ? appear? Did Tom have salt in his pockets that spilled out when he was moving the plane? Did the smoke monster in the form of Yemi sprinkle heroin on the ground to act as salt so that Eko would find it?

#249. Posted by: GFish at April 2, 2007 11:10 PM

Ummmmmmmm....I'll go w/ the Smokey as Yemi sprinkling heroin theory.

#250. Posted by: Red...Neck...Man at April 3, 2007 12:25 AM

@GatorGirl - Gators rule!!

#251. Posted by: meg at April 3, 2007 8:00 AM

The Hostiles put salt on the ground so that the Losties would find the hatch. The Hostiles want to help the Losties against the Others. Everything points to there being THREE groups on the island.

The Others dress as Hostiles when they leave their "safe" area not only to blend in but if seen by the Losties they would be considered sub-intelligent and dirty and any evil the Others do would lead the Losties to blame the Hostiles

At Patchy's hatch he yelled out that they had some sort of territory agreeement. Since he is part of the Others and connected to Losteria Lane then he had to be referring to a third group (Hostiles)

I don't believe it was the Others dressed in rags that were seen by the Losties as they hid in the bushes and watched a kid drag the dirty teddy bear behind him. I think it was the only time the Losties ever really saw the Hostiles

I believe the Hostiles are somehow connected to the quarantine signs in the hatches and that the quarantine somehow has something to do with babies and or children and or pregnant women

#252. Posted by: lost addict at April 3, 2007 11:23 AM

About Eko's last words, just before he died. We didn't hear them, we only hear Locke's report. Locke said "He said 'We're next'". But what were Eko's exact words? If, as seems likely, he said "You're next", this is ambiguous. It could mean "You (all the Losties) are next." Or it could mean "You (John Locke) are next." English makes no distinction between the singular and plural you.

Too bad Eko didn't speak Southern - then it would have been "Y'all are next." (John Locke only), or "All y'all are next." (Everybody).

#253. Posted by: Cecil Rose at April 3, 2007 12:36 PM

Any one here watch 24 or know a good 24 blog site? After the past couple episodes which are getting increasingly lame this season--I'm just itching to discuss it. Sorry to get off topic.

Kelvin's former hatch partner who drew the map on the blast door probably put the salt down to make the ? mark so he could find it again later. I would think that the mark would have dated back to when that map was made since it was also denoted there as a ? mark.

#254. Posted by: Crispy Seaplanes at April 3, 2007 12:49 PM

About Eko's last words, just before he died. We didn't hear them, we only hear Locke's report. Locke said "He said 'We're next'". But what were Eko's exact words? If, as seems likely, he said "You're next", this is ambiguous. It could mean "You (all the Losties) are next." Or it could mean "You (John Locke) are next." English makes no distinction between the singular and plural you.

Too bad Eko didn't speak Southern - then it would have been "Y'all are next." (John Locke only), or "All y'all are next." (Everybody).

#255. Posted by: Cecil Rose at April 3, 2007 1:01 PM

@lost addict

The hostiles and others group split does sound plausible. Maybe the season 3 cliffhanger will deal with the introduction of the new 4 toed hostiles?

I would guess it was the others dressed as hostiles when they were seen with dragging teddy bear. Wasn't this the same kid that we saw with Cindy when Jack was in the cage?

#256. Posted by: shikotee at April 3, 2007 2:23 PM

Ok so the spiders...think the Other already have descovered them and are using them in the DARTS they spit at the Losties. This woulds make perfect sense as to how they are able to knock them out and drag them all over the island with out them knowing.

#257. Posted by: Dakota at April 3, 2007 5:24 PM

shikotee: I don't know if we did see the child at Losteria Lane. Does anyone else know?
Maybe the others finally got their mitts on the kid (seems to be their thing)

#258. Posted by: lost addict at April 4, 2007 10:31 AM

@shikotee "I would guess it was the others dressed as hostiles when they were seen with dragging teddy bear. Wasn't this the same kid that we saw with Cindy when Jack was in the cage?"

The kids we saw at Jack's cage were Emma and Zack. These are the kids that were traveling in the tail section of flight 815 on their way to meet their mother in Los Angeles. The teddy bear that we saw being dragged was similar to the one that Zack had but the producers have denied that they are the same (denied in their round about way - so who knows)

I agree with those who think that this episode was a filler epsiode, just as Nikki and Paolo were filler characters. The only puropose they served was to fill some spots left vacant by the Losties who were elsewhere at the beginning of the season, or killed off recently. With Jack, Kate & Sawyer in Otherville, there still needed to be some focus on what was going on back at the beach. The writers used this episode to show that there are other Losties that have been there since the plane crashed, that we just don't know much about. That is the reason for Sawyer's repeated "who's Nikki" comments -- that's what the viewers have been asking since she and Paolo were just introduced this season. It is bothersome that Nikki & Paolo found the beachcraft and the Pearl before Locke and Boone and Locke and Eko respectively, and didn't tell anyone. But when you think about it, how many things didn't someone find on the island and they didn't tell anyone. It has been happening with all of the major characters since the show began -- why should these two behave any different, especially when they were actually TRYING to keep what they were loking for a secret from everyone.

As for the Pearl, there was no tunnel. Ben and Juliet come in from the same entrance that Paolo does -- the hatch above. Once your at the bottom, the path curves around to the viewing room. And Ben DID tell Juliet to have Tom cover the hatch with the plane, but at this point, the plane would have already fallen out of the tree (since Jack is in the Swan already, and this didn't happen until Season 2, when Boone was already dead). A little sequencing for everyone:

Again, this episode just goes to show that Nikki & Paolo were a part of things that were happening, even though the extent of it wasn't "exposed" until this episode...

#264. Posted by: Stocky at April 5, 2007 1:36 PM

Did anyone notice that Howie (the guy Paulikki poison) "dies" in the same way that Paulikki "die", with their eyes open? Perhaps the poison Paulo used mearly only paralized Howie, just like the spider, and Paulo was working with Howie to "out" Nikki's deception???